Bartow Courthouse Installed NETGEAR wireless
CASE STUDY: COUNTY COURT SERVICES
THE VERDICT IS IN: NETGEAR® PROSAFE® EXCEEDS PUBLIC
DEFENDER’S OFFICE EXPECTATIONS
BACKGROUND
Located in Bartow Florida, the Public Defender’s Office, 10th District runs on an all-electronic records
system that enables attorneys to immediately access files directly from the courtroom as well as other
strategic locations with secured, organization-issued tablets. Everything the attorney might need
throughout the case, including case records, evidence, video depositions, and histories is stored in a
secure database that can be accessed wirelessly in real time. In addition to the courtroom, attorneys must
have the ability to access the data from other locations, including their offices and homes.
PROBLEM/OBJECTIVE
INEFFECTIVE, UNRELIABLE ACCESS
The Public Defender’s Office, 10th District had previously attempted to move to this paperless system
using a Cisco wireless system. While the system technically worked, it was ineffective and failed to
provide the level of connectivity required to make the migration. “The system absolutely has to work
100 percent of the time, because a person’s fate is in the balance,” says Tom Simmons, IT Manager for
the Public Defender’s office, 10th District. “If the wireless goes out while an attorney is in the middle of
closing arguments in a first degree murder case, and the attorney loses the jury’s attention as a result,
that would have a major impact.”
Tom received daily complaints about the Cisco system and the attorneys were losing confidence in
the ability of the organization to meet their needs. Resolving this became a top priority of the elected
Public Defender himself. Tom knew that he needed to find and implement a strong wireless system that
would enable attorneys to access necessary data from internal systems and work in a fast, efficient
manner. Now faced with the largest, most important IT project he’s faced in his 20 years with the Public
Defender’s Office, 10th District, Tom turned to Eliot Lanes, President of Viable Solutions, for assistance.
COMPANY NAME:
Florida Tenth Circuit Public
Defender’s O ce
COMPANY SIZE:
xxxxxx
INDUSTRY: County Court Services
COMPANY WEBSITE:
www.polkcountyclerk.net
GEOGRAPHIC REGION:
Bartow, Florida
www.netgear.com
We had a critical system that
didn’t work at all; and since
implementing the NETGEAR
system, I haven’t had a single
support call
Tom Simmons, IT Manager,
Public Defender’s O ce, 10th District
CASE STUDY:
Polk County Courthouse