2GEFS Overview and Schema Methodology

["Smith, Christopher" <Christopher.Smith@jud.ca.gov>]

Title: 2GEFS Overview and Schema Methodology

Even though the proposed ballot on OXCI options has been cancelled, I thought this committee might still like the overview of the 2GEFS and its schema methodology that I talked about on Tuesday's phone call.

Background
In 2002, the California AOC initiated the Second Generation Electronic Filing Specifications (2GEFS) project to simplify the processes for constructing and implementing e-filing systems in the state's trial courts. The 2GEFS were developed on a schema methodology based on lessons learned from implementing Court Filing 1.0 in the Georgia courts. The specifications are now in a validation testing phase with the Superior Court of Sacramento County and the California AOC is investigating ways to map the 2GEFS to the GJXDD at the content level.

There are four specifications that together constitute the 2GEFS.

• Court Filing 2.0 defines an electronic envelope for transporting documents to and from court systems (Filings and Confirmations)
• Court Policy 2.0 defines how details about courts and their divisions can be expressed such that computer programs can understand them
• Request/Response 2.0 defines how information and documents can be queried and retrieved from court databases
• CMS API 2.0 standardizes the means for getting data and documents into and out of court case management systems

2GEFS specifications can be implemented using Java, Microsoft's .Net technology, or technology from any other source that is capable of interacting with the Internet and W3C XML Schema in some manner. The choice of technology and products used to develop 2GEFS-compliant applications is solely in the hands of the developer.

2GEFS Schema Framework
The 2GEFS Schema Framework recognizes that different applications have different data requirements. These differing requirements are often legitimate. For example, a system used to track terrorists is different than a system to record driver's licenses, both of which are different than a

court filing system. As a result, the Framework supports many different schemas that can be used in an interoperable way.

The Schema Framework uses small, modular XML Schemas that are used as building blocks to build other, more complex schemas, messages,  protocols, forms and documents. For example, Person, Organization, and Address schema can be used as building blocks for a more complex Court Filing schema, Juvenile Complaint schema, or Rap Sheet schema. Modularization facilitates schema reuse and customization as well as code reuse.  Modularization also reduces the total size of individual XML formats.

Protocols
Court and vendors may determine the transmission protocol(s) for transmitting XML Schema instance documents from one domain or application to

another. The 2GEFS Court Filing, Request/Response, and Court Policy specifications are designed to use a variety of standard Internet protocols,

including:

• HTTP, the fundamental transport of the Internet
• HTTPS, or secure HTTP, which uses SSL to provide a degree of security to Internet messages
• SMTP, an electronic mail protocol (for which a message attachment contains the XML instance document)
• SOAP 1.2, a protocol layered on top of HTTP or HTTPS that is routable and includes developer-defined Header and Body elements

The California AOC encourages public comment and input to the 2GEFS. To review the specifications in detail and submit comments please see

http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/invitationstocomment/cproposals.htm.

Sincerely,

Christopher Smith
Business Systems Analyst
Information Services
Administrative Office of the Courts
415/865-7416
christopher.smith@jud.ca.gov