Philly courts’ website, e-filing still down for 4th week
The First Judicial District's website and electronic-filing system have been down since May 21 after a virus attack on a limited number of computers prompted a precautionary shutdown.
Nearly four weeks since a computer shutdown of the city’s court systems, officials on Friday cited progress in restoring some electronic access but the First Judicial District’s website and electronic-filing system have yet to be restored.
City courts spokesperson Gabe Roberts said he couldn’t estimate when everything would be back to normal.
“We are still in a position where we don’t want to jeopardize the remediation process,” he said. “We will be releasing more information once the remediation process is complete.”
City Councilman Brian O’Neill last week introduced a resolution calling for public hearings to determine if the city and its Office of Innovation and Technology have implemented sufficient security to prevent cyber attacks and network outages that other cities have experienced. A hearing date has not been set.
Philadelphia court officials have not said if the virus is linked to ransomware attacks that hit municipal computer systems in other U.S. cities, including Baltimore.
Roberts, citing security reasons, has declined to provide details about the type of virus that authorities say attacked First Judicial District computers, prompting what they have described as the precautionary shutdown on May 21 of its website and certain computer programs, including the electronic-filing system used by attorneys to submit pleadings, motions, and petitions.
He also has declined to name the cyber security firm contracted by the city courts to help restore the impacted network operations or say how much it’s being paid. The firm is working with the city courts and the Office of Innovation and Technology to get the systems “up and running safely,” Roberts said Friday.
Among the progress officials cite:
Electronic access to the Municipal Court claims system has been restored at the website https://fjdclaims.phila.gov. The site can be used to view complaints and judgments in Municipal Court, including for city violations and landlord-tenant judgments.
The First Judicial District has been working with title-industry professionals to provide updated daily access to complaint information on properties.
The Criminal Document Management System, which allows access to court filings at public computers in the Stout Center for Criminal Justice, is operational.
Employee email accounts were restored, although First Judicial District employees in City Hall still cannot access email on their work computers, but must use work stations set up elsewhere.
Courtrooms have been open during the computer shutdown, and jurors must still report for duty. Although prospective jurors can’t fill out jury questionnaires online while the courts’ website is down, they can mail them in or bring them in person on their day of service. They also can call 215-683-7170 between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. with questions, or dial that number after 5 p.m. on the day before a scheduled date of service to learn whether they still must report.