Civil and Domestic Relations; Data Transmission StandardsPage 1

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Data Transmissions Guidelines

Civil and Domestic Relations Filings and Dispositions

In support of Georgia Senate Bill 176

March 12, 2001[PK1]

INTRODUCTION

The following information is provided to assist local vendors and county-run systems administrators in producing a data extract from their existing case management systems, and preparing an “export” file to be FTP’d to the central collection database in Atlanta, in compliance with Senate Bill 176. Vendors familiar with the Statewide Real Estate Index may recognize certain concepts and formats in the transmit filespec which are similar to those used in the Real Estate Index.

Questions concerning the transmit filespec should be addressed to Mr. Phil Kobierowski at 404.894.2552, or e-mail Phil at: <>.

Recent Changes

Changes from the 9/25/00 version:

1. Two new codes for the 'Case Types' field have been added for domestic relation cases; they are "CONOTH" and "OTHDR". The inclusion of these codes brings this document into compliance with the current Domestic Relations Case Filing Information form and the GSCCCA computer system which was already implementing them. (This change begins on page 6.)

2. Certain values for the 'Disposition Type' field (specifically DISV, DISWOP, & DISWP) have been restricted for use only with particular values of the 'Case Category' field (Domestic Relations or General Civil). (See page 7.)

File Naming

The ASCII data files shall be electronic computer files composed in the American National Standards Institute ANSI X3.4-1986 standard; Information Systems Coded Character Set, 7-Bit American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII).

The filename of each transmitted ASCII data file will be unique, twelve characters in length, and in "8 dot 3" format in compliance with ISO 9660. The filename for each file shall be established as follows:

1)The first character is a “C”. This identifies the file as containing civil case data.

2) The next character is a letter from A-Z representing the century: ‘A’ representing the years 1600 to 1699, ‘B’ representing 1700 to 1799, ‘C’ representing 1800 to 1899, ‘D’ representing 1900 to 1999, ‘E’ representing 2000 to 2099, etc.

3) The next two characters shall be the last 2 digits of the year.

4) The next four characters consist of the digits 0 through 9 and represent a sequential number (for each county) starting at 0001 at the beginning of each year and be incremented for subsequent files. (If file number exceeds 9999, then the pattern continues as: 9999, A001…A999, B001…Z999.)

5) A period (ASCII code 46).

6) The final three characters consist of the digits 0 through 9 and represent the “County-Court code” and shall be determined as follows:

a) If the county transmits the Superior Court and State Court data in the same file, this code shall be the three-character county code indicated in the attached Appendix A, “Georgia Counties and County Codes.”

or,

b) If the county wishes to utilize separate, computerized case indexing systems for their State Court and Superior Court that transmit independently to the Authority, the Superior Court system shall use the codes from Appendix A, and the State Court system shall use the same code from Appendix A plus a value of 200. In such cases, the Superior Court and State Court system filenames shall also have their own independent sequential number in the filename too.

For example, the twenty-fifth file sent from Cobb County transmitted and merged in 2000 would be transmitted in the file named: CE000025.033. However, if Cobb County has independent case indexing systems for its Superior and State Courts that transmit separately, then the file from Superior Court system would be CE000025.033 and the file from the State Court system would be CE000025.233.

Header Data

The beginning of each ASCII data file will contain header information used to define the source of the data and to assure it has been properly transmitted to the Authority’s Central Collection System. This information shall consist of the following items and in the order listed:

1. Checksum hexadecimal code. This is to be calculated by adding the sum of all the ASCII codes for every character in the file (including all delimiters, carriage returns, linefeeds, character count field described below, etc.) except for the seven hexadecimal digits that will compose the code itself; then inserting this sum as a hexadecimal value into the formula: checksum = (characters ASCII codes sum in hex) AND (FFFFFFF). The checksum shall contain necessary leading zeroes as to always be 7 hexadecimal digits in length. Any letters in the hexadecimal code will be in capitals. Sample programming code to calculate this value is available from the contact person in this document’s introduction.

2. The file character count in decimal (base 10, not hexadecimal nor binary) format for the entire file. This number shall be eight characters in length with leading zeros. If the filesize requires greater than eight characters, subtract multiples of 100,000,000 until the number can fit within eight characters (is less than or equal to 99999999). The character count is to include all ASCII codes in the files, including line feeds and carriage returns.

3. The letters “CADR” to identify the file as containing Civil and Domestic Relations case data.

4. The appropriate County Code from Appendix A. This value shall occupy three character spaces, contain leading zeros. (Allowable values are “001” to “159”.)

The items 2 - 4 above, shall each be preceded and followed by (and only by) double quotes ( ", ASCII code 34) and separated by commas ( , ASCII code 44). The checksum will appear as the first seven characters of the first line and shall not be surrounded by quotes, but followed by a comma.

Immediately following this header shall be a carriage return (ASCII code 13) and linefeed (ASCII code 10).

Lines of Data

Immediately following the header information, the file will contain quote-comma separated (delimited) fields. Data shall be grouped into lines, which is defined herein as the data between consecutive combinations of a carriage return (ASCII code 13) and linefeed (ASCII code 10) codes. A line shall be a group of ASCII data terminated by ASCII codes 13 and 10). Data contained in each line shall be organized into fields described below and all such fields shall be preceded and followed by (and only by) double quotes ( ", ASCII code 34) and separated by commas ( , ASCII code 44).

All lines of data pertaining to the same case shall be grouped together There shall be the following types of lines:

1. Case Lines: There shall be one and only one Case Line per filed case. This shall be the first line of data for a case. The first field of a case line is the Case ID and the second field must be “C”.

2. Case Party Lines: Zero, one, or more Case Party Lines lines shall follow the Case Line. The first field of a case party line is the Case ID and the second field must be “P”.

Fields

The data for each Field shall be placed within the appropriate line and be preceded and followed by a double quotation mark ( ", ASCII code 34) with a comma ( , ASCII code 44) separating Fields within a line. An empty Field shall retain double quotes as a placeholder. Data fields shall be trimmed to eliminate trailing spaces.

(Note: Second or subsequent transmission of data for a particular Case ID shall consist of a complete resend of all known, valid information associated with that Case ID. For example, data obtained and transmitted from the disposition of a case shall include the valid information obtained from the initial filing of the case, even if such data was previously transmitted.)

Case Line Fields

Each Case Line shall contain each of the following fields in the order specified:

Case ID – The case ID number
Length: 13 Type: Numeric

Format: The first three digits of such shall be the “County-Court Code” as defined under the section titled “Filenames”. The next four digits shall be the year and correspond to the year of the Filing Date field of the case. The remaining 6 digits shall be an incremental counter reset to 000001 for the first case filed in a new year. This counter shall be incremented by one for each successive case.

Case Line Designation – Indicates that the line is a case line

Length: 1 Type: Char

Format: Must contain the single character “C”

County Code – The three digit county code.

Length: 3 Type: Numeric

Format: Left zero padded

Court – Indicates Superior or State court

Length: 2 Type: Char

Values: SU – Superior

ST – State

Docket Number – Docket number issued by court

Length: 15 Type: Char

Case Category – Indicates if the case is General Civil or Domestic Relations

Length: 2 Type: Char

Values:GC – General Civil

DR – Domestic Relations

Case Types – One or more case types

Length: 255 Type: Char

Format: One or more Codes from the Code column below. If more than one type Code applies, enter the Codes within the same field but separate the codes with a single space.

Values for General Civil Cases (Case Category field = GC):

CONACC -Contract/Account

WILEST - Wills/Estate

RLPRO - Real Property

DISDIS - Dispossessory/Distress

PERPRO - Personal Property

EQUITY - Equity

HABCOR - Habeas Corpus

APPREV - Appeals/Reviews

PJGARN - Post Jud Garnishment/Attachment

NDOMCO - Non-Domestic Contempt

TORT - Tort

OTHGC - Other General Civil (use the 'Case Type Other' field to specify)

Values for Domestic Relations (Case Category field = DR):

DIVANN - Divorce/Annulment

SEPMNT - Separate Maintenance

ADOPT - Adoption

PATLEG - Paternity/Legitimation

SUPPOR - Support Enforcement

DOMFOR - Domestication

FAMVIO - Family Violence

MODCUV - Modification – Child Custody/Visitation

MODCSA - Modification – Child Support/Alimony

MODCS - Modification – Child Support

MODA - Modification – Alimony

CONCUV - Contempt – Custody/Visitation

CONCSA - Contempt – Child Support/Alimony

CONCS - Contempt – Child Support

CONA - Contempt – Alimony

CONOTH -Contempt - Other Domestic Contempt

OTHDR - Other Domestic Relations Specify (use the 'Case Type Other' field to specify)

Case Type Other – Other case type

Length: 50 Type: Char

Status – Case status

Length: 2 Type: Char

Values:OP – if the case is Open

CL – if the case is Closed

Filing Date – Filing Date

Length: 10 Type: Date

Format: MM/DD/YYYY

Plaintiff Compensatory Award – Dollar value of compensatory award for plaintiff

Length: 12 Type: Numeric

Plaintiff Punitive Award – Dollar value of punitive award for plaintiff

Length: 12 Type: Numeric

Cross/Counter Claims Compensatory Award – Dollar value of compensatory award for counter or cross claims

Length: 12 Type: Numeric

Cross/Counter Claims Punitive Award – Dollar value of punitive award for counter or cross claims

Length: 12 Type: Numeric

Award Modified – Indicates if the court modified the award

Length: 1 Type: Char

Values:Y – modified

N – Not modified

Attorney Fees Awarded – Indicates if attorney fees were awarded

Length: 1 Type: Char

Values:Y – Attorney fees awarded

N – Attorney fees NOT awarded

Disposition Date – Case disposition date

Length: 10 Type: Date

Format: MM/DD/YYYY or empty string if no disposition date

Disposition Stage - Case disposition stage

Length: 6 Type: Char

Values:NT – Pre/Non-Trial

BT – Bench Trial

JT – Jury Trial

Disposition Type – Case disposition type

Length: 6 Type: Char

Values:DISMIS - Dismissed

DISINV - Dismissed Involuntary

DISV - Dismissed Voluntary(only valid if 'Case Category' field is "DR"; Domestic Relations)

DISWOP - Dismissed Without Prejudice(only valid if 'Case Category' field is "GC"; General Civil)

DISWP - Dismissed With Prejudice(only valid if 'Case Category' field is "GC"; General Civil)

SETTLE - Settlement

JUDPLE - Judgment on Pleadings

DEFJUD - Default Judgment

SUMJUD - Summary Judgment

TRNCON - Transferred/Consolidated

BENTR - Bench Trial

JURYTR - Jury Trial

JTDIS - Jury Trial Dismissal

JTSET - Jury Trial Settlement

JTJVER - Judgment on Verdict

JTDVER - Directed Verdict or JNOV

Judgment Favor – Indicates if judgment was for plaintiff, defendant, or other

Length: 2 Type: Char

Values:P – Plaintiff

D – Defendant

O – Other

Judgment Other – Explanation of other judgment

Length: 100 Type: Char

Tort Case Type 1 – First tort case type

Length: 6 Type: Char

Values:AUTOT - Auto Tort

PREMLT - Premises Liability Tort

MEDMLT - Medical Malpractice Tort

OTPRNT - Other Professional Negligence Tort

PRODLT - Product Liability Tort

OTHT - Other Tort

Tort Case Type 2 – Second tort case type

Length: 6 Type: Char

Values:AUTOT - Auto Tort

PREMLT - Premises Liability Tort

MEDMLT - Medical Malpractice Tort

OTPRNT - Other Professional Negligence Tort

PRODLT - Product Liability Tort

OTHT - Other Tort

Tort Other – Other tort case type

Length: 50 Type: Char

Relief Granted – Type of relief granted

Length: 255 Type: Char

Format: One or more Codes from the Code column below. If more than one type Code applies, enter the Codes within the same field but separate the codes with a single space.

Values:EXPART - Ex Parte

TEMP - Temporary

FINAL - Final

DVANSM - Divorce/Annul/Sepmain

CHCUST - Child Custody

VISIT - Visitation

CHSUPP - Child Support

LEGPAT - Legitimation/Paternity

ALIM - Alimony

CONT - Contempt

EQUAL - Equitable Division

RO - Restraining Order

ROPER - Restraining Order - Person

ROPROP - Restraining Order - Property

ADOPT - Adoption

DISWOR - Dismissed

OTHREL - Other

Other Relief Granted – Other relief granted

Length: 50 Type: Char

Punitive Damages Pleaded – Indicates if punitive damages pleaded

Length: 1 Type: char

Values:Y – Punitive Damages were pleaded

N – Punitive Damages were NOT pleaded

(empty string) - Unknown

Alleged Family Violence – Indicates if relief from alleged family violence

Length: 1 Type: char

Values:Y – Alleged family violence

N – No alleged family violence

(empty string) - Unknown

Ex Parte Relief Requested – Indicates if ex parte relief was requested

Length: 1 Type: char

Values:Y – Ex Parte relief requested

N – Ex Parte relief NOT requested

(empty string) - Unknown

Ex Parte Relief Granted – Indicates if ex parte relief was granted

Length: 1 Type: char

Values:Y – Ex Parte relief granted

N – Ex Parte relief NOT granted

(empty string) - Unknown

ADR Utilized – Indicates if ADR was utilized/mediated

Length: 1 Type: char

Values:Y – ADR was utilized/mediated

N – ADR was NOT utilized/mediated

(empty string) - Unknown

ADR Type – Indicates if ADR was annexed or mandated

Length: 1 Type: char

Values:A – ADR was annexed

M – ADR was mandated

(empty string) - Unknown

ADR Settlement – Indicates if the matter settled after trial for other than judgment

Length: 1 Type: char

Values:Y – Settled after trial

N – NOT settled after trial

(empty string) - Unknown

Number of Defendants – number of defendants in the case

Length: 3 Type: Numeric

Number of Plaintiffs – number of plaintiffs in the case

Length: 3 Type: Numeric

Case Party Line Fields

All Case Party lines shall immediately follow the associated Case Line. Each Case Party shall contain each of the following fields in the order specified:

Case ID – The case ID number
Length: 13 Type: Numeric

Format: The first three digits of such shall be the “County Court Code” as defined in the section titled “Filenames”. The next four digits shall be the year and correspond to the year of the Filing Date field of the case. The remaining 6 digits shall be an incremental counter reset to 000001 for the first case filed in a new year. This counter shall be incremented by one for each successive case.

Case Party Line Designation – Indicates that the line is a case party line

Length: 1 Type: Char

Format: Must contain the single character “P”

Party Type – The party type

Length: 2 Type: Char

Values:P – Plaintiff

D – Defendant

AP – Plaintiff’s Attorney

AD – Defendant’s Attorney

R – Reporting Party

Pro Se File - Indicates if the party is Pro Se

Length: 1 Type: Char

Values: Y – Pro Se

N – Attorney

(empty string) – Unknown

Pro Se Disp - Indicates if the party is Pro Se

Length: 1 Type: Char

Values: Y – Pro Se

N – Attorney

(empty string) – Unknown

Last Name – Last Name

Length: 70 Type: Char

First Name – First Name

Length: 45 Type: Char

Middle Name – Middle Name

Length: 45 Type: Char

Maiden Name – Maiden Name

Length: 45 Type: Char

Name Suffix – Name suffix

Length: 10 Type: Char

Source Name – Full name before parsing

Length: 255 Type: Char

Bar Number – Bar number of attorney

Length: 10 Type: Char

Title – Title of reporting party

Length: 12 Type: Char

End of File

After all case data in the file, there shall be an additional line containing only an end-of-file indicator used to assure that the file was transmitted properly and received in whole. This indicator shall be the following five characters: [EOF], or ASCII codes 91, 69, 79, 70, 93. No quotes or commas are to be included on this line. These should be the last five characters of any ASCII data file.

Appendix A - Georgia Counties and County Codes

(Note: If a county has separate Superior Court and State Court case indexing systems that transmit independently to the Authority, then please see instructions in the section entitled “Filenames” when using these codes for computer data filenames.)

Code / County / Code / County / Code / County / Code / County
001 / Appling / 041 / Dade / 081 / Jefferson / 121 / Richmond
002 / Atkinson / 042 / Dawson / 082 / Jenkins / 122 / Rockdale
003 / Bacon / 043 / Decatur / 083 / Johnson / 123 / Schley
004 / Baker / 044 / Dekalb / 084 / Jones / 124 / Screven
005 / Baldwin / 045 / Dodge / 085 / Lamar / 125 / Seminole
006 / Banks / 046 / Dooly / 086 / Lanier / 126 / Spalding
007 / Barrow / 047 / Dougherty / 087 / Laurens / 127 / Stephens
008 / Bartow / 048 / Douglas / 088 / Lee / 128 / Stewart
009 / Ben Hill / 049 / Early / 089 / Liberty / 129 / Sumter
010 / Berrien / 050 / Echols / 090 / Lincoln / 130 / Talbot
011 / Bibb / 051 / Effingham / 091 / Long / 131 / Taliaferro
012 / Bleckley / 052 / Elbert / 092 / Lowndes / 132 / Tattnall
013 / Brantley / 053 / Emanuel / 093 / Lumpkin / 133 / Taylor
014 / Brooks / 054 / Evans / 094 / Macon / 134 / Telfair
015 / Bryan / 055 / Fannin / 095 / Madison / 135 / Terrell
016 / Bulloch / 056 / Fayette / 096 / Marion / 136 / Thomas
017 / Burke / 057 / Floyd / 097 / McDuffie / 137 / Tift
018 / Butts / 058 / Forsyth / 098 / McIntosh / 138 / Toombs
019 / Calhoun / 059 / Franklin / 099 / Meriweather / 139 / Towns
020 / Camden / 060 / Fulton / 100 / Miller / 140 / Truetlen
021 / Candler / 061 / Gilmer / 101 / Mitchell / 141 / Troup
022 / Carroll / 062 / Glascock / 102 / Monroe / 142 / Turner
023 / Catoosa / 063 / Glynn / 103 / Montgomery / 143 / Twiggs
024 / Charlton / 064 / Gordon / 104 / Morgan / 144 / Union
025 / Chatham / 065 / Grady / 105 / Murray / 145 / Upson
026 / Chattahoochee / 066 / Greene / 106 / Muscogee / 146 / Walker
027 / Chattooga / 067 / Gwinnett / 107 / Newton / 147 / Walton
028 / Cherokee / 068 / Habersham / 108 / Oconee / 148 / Ware
029 / Clarke / 069 / Hall / 109 / Oglethorpe / 149 / Warren
030 / Clay / 070 / Hancock / 110 / Paulding / 150 / Washington
031 / Clayton / 071 / Haralson / 111 / Peach / 151 / Wayne
032 / Clinch / 072 / Harris / 112 / Pickens / 152 / Webster
033 / Cobb / 073 / Hart / 113 / Pierce / 153 / Wheeler
034 / Coffee / 074 / Heard / 114 / Pike / 154 / White
035 / Colquitt / 075 / Henry / 115 / Polk / 155 / Whitfield
036 / Columbia / 076 / Houston / 116 / Pulaski / 156 / Wilcox
037 / Cook / 077 / Irwin / 117 / Putnam / 157 / Wilkes
038 / Coweta / 078 / Jackson / 118 / Quitman / 158 / Wilkinson
039 / Crawford / 079 / Jasper / 119 / Rabun / 159 / Worth
040 / Crisp / 080 / Jeff Davis / 120 / Randolph

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