Clerk of district court rolls out credit-card payments and prepares for expanded e-service

The clerk of the district court briefed Fremont County commissioners Aug. 19 on new payment and electronic-service capabilities the office has implemented and on planned technology changes.

This matters because accepting credit cards and implementing e-service will change how court users pay fees, receive documents and interact with the court’s records, and will require staff training and security measures.

The clerk reported her office now accepts credit-card payments for many routine fees; the card processor’s fee is 3 percent and will be charged to the payer. She said some items cannot be paid by card, including bonds and child-support payments. The office also has deployed a fraud-prevention measure that flags checks for review before deposit.

The clerk said rule and statute updates this year will enable broader e-service capability; the office plans training in September and phased e-service and e-filing changes later in the fall and winter. She said the courts are working on a security-access matrix for records (11 possible security levels) and that she has been appointed to a technology committee with the administrative office of the courts.

Commissioners thanked the clerk for the technological updates; no county action or funding decisions were made during the briefing.