NY top court putting documents online

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Credit Albany, NY

New York Court of Appeals in Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The New York Court of Appeals is launching an online service to improve filing records and briefs that for the first time offers access to documents through a searchable database.

The system, called Court-PASS, will be kept as a permanent public archive for documents related to cases at the state's highest court that were pending or filed after Jan. 1.

Officials say anyone may search the database for free and view or download documents from every stage of a case. It will include papers for civil motions that have been granted and briefs and records in civil and criminal appeals.

It will incorporate videos and transcripts of oral arguments as well as court decisions, already available on the court's website. It launches next month.