Supreme Court Website Latest in Electronic Initiatives

The Supreme Court of the United States launched its official website last month. The site, at www.supremecourtus.gov, was developed by the Court and the Government Printing Office (GPO) and is part of the GPO Access system.

"A presence on the Internet was a natural next step in providing Court information—from an official source—to the public," said Supreme Court Public Information Officer Kathy Arberg.

Initially, the Supreme Court web-site will provide on-line access to the court's 1999 Term slip opinions, 1999 Term orders, argument calendar, schedules, rules, bar admission forms and instructions, visitors' guides, case-handling guides, special notices, press releases, and general information. A link also will be provided to the Court's bench opinions on GPO Access. The bench opinion is the first version of an opinion, published immediately after the case's announcement by the Court from the bench. The slip opinion is a slightly later version of the bench opinion.

Information from the Court's auto-mated docket will be added to the website in the future. Slip opinions will be accessible on the Court's website usually within hours after the bench opinions are transmitted to Project Hermes subscribers. Bench opinions and orders will not appear on the court's website, but will be accessible on the day of their release through a link to GPO Access.

The Internet is just the latest avenue by which the Court distributes information electronically. In 1991, the court launched Project Hermes, an electronic system available only through subscription, that transmits the court's orders and bench opinions to legal publishers, news organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies, including GPO, moments after the materials are released. In 1996, the Court initiated its dial-up Bulletin Board System (BBS) (202-554-2570) to provide electronic access to its automated docket, slip opinions, and orders. In 1997, the Court implemented the Clerk's Automated Response System (CARS), by which callers can obtain the status of cases on the automated docket by dialing (202) 479-3034. The new website will replace the BBS, which will be phased out once the automated docket is added to the website. However, the website will not replace Hermes or CARS, and the Court will continue to publish and distribute its opinions in paper pamphlets and in the official United States Reports.