Pennsylvania’s judiciary has launched a new website with a dynamic change in appearance, navigation and overall design. The website address will remain www.pacourts.us.

Enhancements to the new website include redesigned page layouts, improved navigation and organization of various court information areas, and highlighted news of interest to the court community and general public.

“We recognize that accessibility to information plays a crucial role in maintaining public confidence in the state court system,” Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Ronald D. Castille said. “The importance of the Internet, coupled with the way people are changing the way they receive information, drove this project to improve the management and integration of content on the website.”

The new design was based on responses from jurists, administrators, lawyers, media and others who explained what information they wanted on the UJS website and how it should be organized. A comparative analysis of other judicial websites from across the United States was also completed to help identify best practices.

The changes provide Pennsylvania’s judiciary a unified website while providing each court the opportunity to feature its own news and information on separate web pages.

One of the highlights of the new website is the ability to feature accomplishments, educational topics and important issues on the home page where they will be updated frequently. Also, along with the new design comes a vastly improved mobile site with easier to read content.

The redesign continues the Pennsylvania judiciary’s legacy of court innovation and underscores its national leadership in using technology to more efficiently administer the court system and broaden public access. Pennsylvania was the second state court system to create a website when it began posting online appellate court opinions and other data in April 1995 — one week after the Florida courts launched a narrower site that was limited to biographical information.