| Chapter 6 - Computer Concepts and Legal Applications |
Benefits and Costs of Imaging System The decision of whether to digitize the documents in your case depends on a number of factors listed below. I suggest that the digitization of the documents in your case first be done on a small or test case to understand the benefits and pitfalls of these different methods of digital organization of your materials. Image vs. Paper Comparison | WORKFLOW FACTORS | Imaging | Paper | | | | | | Accessibility | Instant Electronic access | Slow and inefficient | | Multiple Party Access | Multiple party access available | Limited access when needed by multiple parties - depends on # of copies and location. | | Concurrent Access | Concurrent user access available | Depends on number of paper copies. | | Lost or misplaced files | Cannot be lost or misfiled. Caution: You can misindex a document then it would be difficult to locate | Misfiled and out of file problems | | Environmental Impact | Environmentally helpful - requires CD-ROM or other storage media. | Trees and processing costs. | | Indexing | Required - cost depends on the amount of indexing. | Required | | Security of Stored Documents | Depends on the user’s computer accessibility | Depends on paper procedures and location | | Witness Review of Documents | Can easily “blowback” or print copies. | Need to copy documents. | | Remote Access over the Internet | Available using CD-ROM and Internet with modem accessibility. Viewing images may be slow depending on bandwidth connection. | Available if paper copies are at remote location. | | COST FACTORS | | | Storage Cost | Low | High | Labor and Access Cost | Low | High | Cost per Image | 10 cents + per page. The cost will vary depending upon the quality and condition of the documents to be scanned | N/A | Copy | $100 per CD-ROM disk - up to 15,000 images or pages on disk. | 8 cents + per page | Cost to Print | 8 cents + per page | 8 cents + per page | Shipping Costs | Low | High | Disaster Recovery Cost | Low - copy of images can be stored off-line. | Another copy of paper must be stored off site. | Software Cost | Free+. Some service firms are giving away image display software and are focusing on the profits generated from scanning your paper to create images. | None | Cost of Equipment | Use present computers, monitors, network and CD-ROM readers. CD-ROM readers cost $150+. May need to upgrade printer speeds and monitor size. | Paper, three ring binders, file cabinets & bookcases | The Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund calculated that California courts receive at least "293, 776,455 sheets of 20?pound bond a year - 1,470 tons of paper" ABA Journal/October 1992. Switching to imaged documents would not only save trees, but the resources necessary to process the paper. | Features and Products Image retrieval software enables the user to display, manipulate, and print hard copies, as well as perform a host of other functions. -
Image Movement Features. Most image programs give you the capacity to manipulate the images in a variety of ways. Enlarge - by moving a pointer over a specific area, you can enlarge that area for review. Rotate - if you want to rotate the document 360 degrees, rotation tools will permit this. -
OCR Conversion. Once the document is an image, you can block out parts of the document to permit OCR conversion, and then transfer the converted text for full text searching into a database or full text program. -
Highlighting. You can use a marking device, such as mouse or a light pen, to highlight the text. These tools generally include yellow blocking features or marking in red, blue, green, etc. -
Notes. If you wish to add a note to the document, you can add personal notes for later searching and retrieval. -
Printing. You can flag the documents that you want printed as you review them and then batch print them. -
Page Functions. Provides the capability to page through a document or GO TO a specific page. -
Redaction. More sophisticated programs permit the ability to black out or redact certain portions of the document because it is privileged or work product. When printed, the redaction covers up the privileged portion. Some considerations in selecting an imaging system include: -
How many documents will be imaged? -
Does it use standard TIFF format, or is the format proprietary? -
Is it going to be networked? -
How many workstations? -
Is the system scalable? -
Is it web based? -
What does the price include? -
Is there a need for a CD-ROM jukebox, and will it be compatible with your imaging software? -
Does it provide for OCR capability? Also see scanners and storage devices in Section 2, Hardware and Software.
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Ch: 6 - Computer Concepts and Legal Applications 
