CHEYENNE - Wyoming's court system is seeking to keep up with changing technology and caseloads so that justice remains accessible to all, Chief Justice Barton Voigt said Wednesday.

"The citizens of Wyoming deserve and the citizens of Wyoming will demand that this government function like any modern business," Voigt told a joint session of the Wyoming Legislature.

Technology can be used to improve the sharing of information between courts and law enforcement and public access to court records, he said.

"For instance, a deputy sheriff in Casper should be able to determine instantaneously whether an alleged Campbell County domestic violence order does or does not exist, whether it has been served or not," Voigt said.

Voigt said maintaining an adequate number of judges in relation to caseload is a concern that is being constantly monitored to make sure equal access to residents in every part of the state.

"Sweetwater County is probably at the top of that list with a shortage of coverage in both the district court and circuit court," he said.

Circuit court cases statewide increased from 173,937 in fiscal year 2007 to 175,651 in 2008; District court cases dropped slightly from 18,514 in fiscal year 2007 to 17,444 last year. The state Supreme Court received 281 appeals last year, compared to 299 in 2007.

Voigt said improvements to court security continue to be made, and a new goal is to develop emergency response plans for all county courthouses.

"This planning will incorporate the concept of continuation of business in the event of a disaster," he said. "For instance how will a local district court and circuit court continue operation if a courthouse happens to burn down."

He said there is an effort to improve cooperation with municipal courts, which are separate from the state court system.

Voigt said that the state's juvenile justice system isn't mishandling cases but can improve availability of services for such cases in local communities.

And Voigt expressed support for a bill that seeks to solve disagreement over the validity of so-called drug courts, which seek to provide alternative ways of handling drug addicts who commit crimes. There's been some concern as to the constitutionality of the drug courts.

Sen. Tony Ross, R-Cheyenne, has introduced legislation aimed as solving concerns over drug courts.

Ross also said he agrees with efforts to improve ways of sharing court information.

"We need to probably get everybody doing the same thing so that we have better information, because the more information you have the better decisions you can make.