YELLOW SHEET Office of the State Auditor of Missouri Claire McCaskill

Report No. 2006-01

January 2006

The following areas of concern were noted in our audit of the Office of State Courts Administrator.

The Office of State Courts Administrator (OSCA) lacks a formal long-range comprehensive plan of costs related to the court automation program.  A formal long-range plan should be developed and updated as necessary.  This plan should be provided to the General Assembly for consideration during the overall budgeting process. 

• The OSCA has not formally documented the estimated long-range maintenance, repair, and upgrade costs of court automation once the Justice Information System (JIS) and Juvenile Management System (JMS) are implemented in all Missouri circuit courts.  Implementation of these systems is expected to be completed by June 30, 2007.

• As a result of a federal mandate related to the reporting of Commercial Driver�s License convictions, the OSCA is currently pursuing implementation of an integrated case management system in pilot municipal courts.  The OSCA�s budget request for the year ended June 30, 2006, indicates failure to comply with the mandate by September 30, 2005, would result in the annual loss of five percent of all Federal Aid Highway Funds beginning October 1, 2007, and ten percent each subsequent year.  The budget request further provides, �...this translates to a loss of $44 million in Federal Aid Highway Funds by fiscal year 2010�.   The costs associated with implementation of the integrated case management system in pilot courts should be used to develop a long-range plan, including cost estimates of implementing and maintaining the system in municipal courts statewide.  If it is determined that implementation in municipal courts is cost-effective and necessary, since Federal Aid Highway Funds are at risk, the OSCA should work with the General Assembly and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to investigate funding options.

Our report also notes that although certain aspects of contract requirements are monitored, the OSCA has not routinely monitored the receipt and disbursement functions of the Fine Collection Center (FCC) contractor.  During the year ended June 30, 2005, the FCC collected approximately $11 million.  Formal monitoring procedures of receipts and disbursements should be developed, performed on a routine basis, and results documented.

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