A virtual courtroom is now in session.
Residents of Evanston no longer have to make the trip to Circuit Court in Skokie to contest a parking ticket. Instead they can request judgments online through the city’s Web site, www.cityofevanston.org.
Although many of the city’s services still require a telephone call or a personal appearance, the 18-month old city Web site recently has expanded its online offerings.
Wayne Moran, the city’s director of administrative adjudication, said the Internet offers the city an opportunity to create a smoother relationship with residents.
“Eventually everything that you can do in a paper environment can be moved to the Web site,” he said.
The parking violations service enables users to contest parking tickets through the site. A judge will review the request and issue a ruling, all without an appearance in court.
The turnaround on most cases in this paperless process is about two and a half weeks, Moran said.
Only a written statement currently can be submitted with an online contestation. Users who also want to provide evidence have to contest the case the old-fashioned way — in person, or through the mail.
In about three months, Moran’s department will begin allowing users to submit online evidence, such as digital pictures or scanned documents. He said he hopes to expand the options to include paying parking fines online as well.
The city increased the hours of meter operation, which will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. by the end of the month, in hopes of increasing revenue. City staff expects to raise $242,000 after expenses, according to William Stafford, director of finance.
Moran said he came up with the idea for online contention while reading a decision by an Illinois court to allow electronic records as legal court documents. If courts accept electronic materials, he said, then they also should allow people to submit their cases online.
“It’s a great program, and I say that because everyone involved in the program gets a benefit,” Moran said. “There’s no transportation cost, there isn’t any postage and it’s quick.”
Residents may be able to pay city bills online in the future as well, said Bruce Slown, the city’s information systems director.
At the Web site, residents also can download applications for bonfire permits, liquor licenses, parking permits and vehicle registration stickers. The latest addition is the temporarily disabled placard application, which has been available for a week.
Making these services available online just makes sense, City Clerk Mary Morris said.
“We have a Web site, and about 50 percent of the people in Evanston have Internet access,” Morris said. “We decided it was helpful to do this for people who have disabilities.”
The city’s Web site offers a service named “About My Place,” which displays a map and information about where users live — including their alderman, garbage pickup days and the location of their polling place.
Other information on the Web site includes street cleaning schedules, Evanston City Council meeting minutes and agendas, and an events calendar.
Moran said city is trying to gauge user feedback to decide what new services it might include on the site in the future.
