Add a defendant

When you add a new case the system will also prompt you to add the defendant information. Or you can use Setup New Defendants to add defendant records without linking the defendant to a case.

Option 1: Set up New Cases (Recommended)

Use Setup New Cases to set up a new case and add the defendant's information.

Do this...

1. Open Court Management > Cases > Setup New Cases.

2. Fill in the options on the form. Use the sections in this help topic to fill in each field. The fields are listed in alphabetical order.

3. Click Save (CTRL+S).

The defendant has been added to the case.

Option 2: Set up New Defendants

You can also add a defendant record using the Defendants table.

Do this...

1. Open Connect Court Management > Defendants > Setup New Defendants.

2. Fill in the defendant's information. The fields on the Defendant form are listed in alphabetical order, see the other topics in this section.

The routine will assign the next available number as the defendant number.

3. Click Save (CTRL+S)

The defendant has been added to the case.

Change a defendant

After a defendant is set up, you can use Modify Existing Defendants or Enter Dispositions to make changes to the Defendant tab. The defendant properties are also available on the Cases > Modify Existing Cases > Defendant tab.

Do this...

1. Open Connect Court Management > Defendants > Modify Existing Defendants.

2. Use the Lookup bar to enter a defendant's name or number. Press Enter.

You can also look up a defendant using the

• Defendant name

• Date of birth

• Driver license number

• Social Security number

3. Now, you can update the defendant properties.

4. Click Save (CTRL+S).

The updated defendant information is saved.

Delete a defendant

Before a defendant record can be deleted, all of the cases and transactions related to the defendant record must be deleted.

Note: Defendant records with related transactions cannot be deleted. A related transaction is a transaction that is linked to another transaction to show how they are connected.

Do this...

1. Open Connect Court Management > Defendants > Modify Existing Defendants.

2. Use the Lookup bar to enter a defendant's name or number. Press Enter.

3. Click Delete (CTRL+D).

The defendant is deleted.

Set up defendant options

Use Options (F12) to set up the program's default properties. These properties give you a way to change how information is displayed and choose the default settings. You can change the

• Minor warning

• Additional fields

• Skip fields

• Required fields

1. Click Options (F12).

2. Click the Defendants tab.

3. Enter the default values.

Options

Alias

An alias is an assumed or additional name used by an individual. Use the options on the Personal Description tab to add, modify, or delete the defendant's aliases.

How do I add an alias?

Click the Personal Description tab. Use the Aliases field to enter the alias, or click the Alias menu at the end of the Aliases field to separate the name into First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, and Suffix. Press Enter again to add the alias to the Aliases list.

For existing aliases, click the mini-menu button. It's the button to the right of the mini-delete button. Like this...

The Name Details form will display the name. Use the options on the Name Details form to edit the First, Middle, Last, and Suffix. Click OK to save your changes.

Use parse to separate a name into separate fields for the First Name, Middle Name, Last Name, and Suffix.

For new aliases, click the Aliases menu, located at the end of the Aliases field, to launch the Name Details form.

For existing aliases, click the mini-menu button. It's the button to the right of the mini-delete button. Like this...

How do I remove an alias?

Click the mini-delete button next to the alias to delete.

Birth date

Enter the date of the defendant's birth. Example: MM/DD/YYYY

Contact information

An address is a set of directions for delivery of letters and packages. Use a ten-digit telephone number (801) 555-5555 to enter telephone and fax numbers. Use a typical name@organization.org format to enter the email address.

Default defendant history report

The default defendant history report is the report that prints when you print the defendant history from Setup New Cases or Modify Existing Cases. Click Options (F12) then navigate to the General tab > Defendant History Report Definition field. Enter the default report title for printing the defendant history. If the drop-down list is blank, open Reports > Case Report to set up and save a report title that prints the defendant information.  

Defendant additional fields

If some of the fields that you need are missing from the Defendant tab in Setup New Case, Modify Existing Cases, Setup New Defendants, or Modify Existing Defendants. You can add the missing fields to the Defendant tab > Defendant subtab area. You can also use the Additional Fields area to group together the fields that you use the most often.

How do I add an additional field?

1. Click Options (F12).

2. Click the Defendant tab.

3. Find the Defendant Additional Fields field and click Select.

4. Use the options on the Selection form to move the field title to the Selected Items list. Click OK.

Defendant number

The defendant number is a unique number assigned to each defendant. In New mode assign a unique number. When you're in Edit mode, use the Defendant field to look up a defendant by entering a defendant number.

You can also look up a defendant by driver license number or Social Security number.

Display minor warning

A minor is a person who has not yet reached the age of maturity. Use Display Minor Warning to show a warning message on the screen when the defendant's age is less than the number recorded in the Maximum Age of Minor (Organization > Organization > Maximum Age of Minor field).

What do you want to do?

• I want to display a warning message. Click Options (F12). Go to the Defendant tab. Click to select Display Minor Warning.

• I do not want to display a warning message. Click Options (F12). Go to the Defendant tab. Click to deselect Display Minor Warning.

• I want to change the age of a minor. You will need administrative rights. Open Organization > Organization. Edit the value stored in the Maximum Age of Minor field.

Driver license number and state

A driver license is an official document that states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle. A driver license number is a unique number that is assigned to the driver license. The state is the state that issued the driver license.

Form group

A form group allows you to print a specific set of forms for the defendant. When you set up the citation type you can link specific forms, letters, envelopes, and labels to a form group.

Example: Jane is adding a defendant record for an individual who only understands Spanish. She can create a form group called "Spanish" that prints the forms and letters in Spanish.

What do you want to do?

• I want to link the defendant to an existing form group. Use the Form Group drop-down list to select an option.  

• I need to create a new form group for this defendant. Use Connect Court Management > Organization > Form Groups.

Gender

Choose male, female, or unknown.

History tracking

If history tracking is set up for defendant fields, the change log will be displayed on the Notes tab in the defendant's record.

Inquiry alert message

An alert message displays on the Inquiry screen when you look up the defendant's name in Inquiry.

Do you want to display an alert message in Inquiry?

• Yes, I want to display an alert message in Inquiry. Use the Inquiry Alert Message field, on the Defendant tab, to enter the alert message text.

• No, I do not want to display an alert message in Inquiry. Remove the text from the Inquiry Alert Message field.

Name

A name is a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person.

What do you want to do?

• I want to type in the name. Use the Name field to enter the defendant's name.

• I want to separate the name into the first name, middle name, last name, and suffix. Click the button, at the end of the Name field. Use the Name Details form to fill in the defendant's name. Click OK.

Notes

In Court Management, there are many ways to add a note to a defendant record.

Where can I add a note to a defendant record?

• Cases > Setup New Cases > Defendant tab > Notes tab. Use this option when you set up a new case.

• Cases > Modify Existing Cases > Defendant tab > Notes tab.

• Defendants > Setup New Defendants > Notes tab. Use this option when you set up a new defendant.

• Defendants > Modify Existing Defendants > Notes tab.

• Case Inquiry > Defendant tab > Notes tab.

Payment entry alert message

An alert message displays on the Enter Payments screen when you enter a payment for the defendant in Enter Payments. If you are using Cash Receipting, the alert message will display in the Cash Receipting > Enter Payments screen.

You can also set up an alert message on the Case tab to display the alert message only when a user accesses the specific case. In contrast, setting up the alert message on the Defendant tab will display the alert message every time you open a case that is linked to the defendant.

Do you want to display an alert message in Enter Payments?

• Yes, I want to display an alert message in Enter Payments. Use the Payment Entry Alert Message field, on the Defendant tab, to enter the alert message text.

• No, I do not want to display an alert message in Enter Payments. Remove the text from the Payment Entry Alert Message field.

Personal description

A personal description includes characteristics that are specific to an individual, such as hair color, eye color, and so on. Use the fields on the Personal Description tab to record the defendant's defining characteristics, distinguishing marks, and aliases.

The light blue background means the field is a self-validating field, in other words, you can use the items listed in the drop-down list, or you can add a new item. These fields are self-validating fields:

• Race

• Hair color

• Eye color

• Height

1. Click Options (F12).

2. Click the Defendant tab.

3. Find the Personal Description Additional Fields field and click Select.

4. Use the options on the Selection form to move the field title to the Selected Items list. Click OK.

Required fields

A Required field is a field in which the user must enter a value before the system will save the record. Use Options (F12) to select the fields that must be filled in before the record is saved.  

1. Click Options (F12).

2. Click the Case tab.

3. Find the Required Fields field and click Select.

4. Use the options on the Selection form to move the field title to the Selected Items list. Click OK.

Skip fields

When a user presses the Enter key on an entry form, the cursor will move to the next field on the form. If you do not want the cursor to stop at a field, use Skip Fields to skip the field and place the cursor in the next field.

Note: Pressing the Tab key will not skip fields.

1. Click Options (F12).

2. Click the Defendant tab.

3. Find the Skip Fields field and click Select.

4. Use the options on the Selection form to move the field title to the Selected Items list. Click OK.

Social Security number

A Social Security number is a unique number assigned to each individual that can work legally in the United States.

What is the Social Security number?

This field is optional. Use the Social Security Number field to enter a nine-digit number. Do not key dashes. Example: 555555555