The state Judicial system is using new technology to help fill budget gaps, and make themselves more accessible.News 12's Caroline Rowland tells us how Martin county and surrounding counties are doing just that.Next time you get slapped with a seatbelt ticket, or speeding citation, you won't have to go far to take care of it.It will just take logging online.The state is calling it "call pay."And you can pay for almost any ticket online that doesn't require a court appearance.Connie Belgard, says, "Your common ones would be no seatbelt, not wearing your seatbelt, stop sign violations, those are the most common people pay through the mail or would be the ones to pay online."Martin and Jackson County Administrator Connie Belgard says it's going to be a lot easier on offenders and her staff.Martin County Administrator Connie Belgard says, "It will free up a lot of their time, if people pay their payments online, and enable them to work on civil and criminal cases."Martin County is one of 54 counties around the state using online payments, including Blue Earth, Fairbault, Jackson and Nicollet to start online payments on July 14th.It should be statewide within two years.Martin County Administrator Connie Belgard says, "We're doing more with technology."Caroline Rowland says, "The new technology is really a way of cutting costs, and making up for loss of jobs.There are 250 open positions in the State's Judiciary department. And Belgard says they don't expect to fill any of those."Connie Belgard says, "In Martin County I'm currently down 2.5 positions."And the online payments are just one way they're making up for the lost positions.Some of the different steps they're taking, include a centralized state wide calling center that should reduce manual data entry and E-Citations.Belgard says they're hoping the technology updates will help improve their customer service.Connie Belgard says, "Everybody is trying to do the best that they can with the budget cuts."In Fairmont.Caroline Rowland








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