Since May of 2002 Vision Networks is a sub-contractor to West Virginia University developing a large-case pilot Automated Litigation Support System (ALSS) for the Executive Office of the United States Attorneys (EOUSA). One of the initials tasks under this project is the preparation of the Concept of Operations which is the basis for the design, implementation, functional performance testing, and capabilities demonstration of the ALSS. It describes the goals, workflow processes, high-level functional and operational requirements, modes of operations, and the impact on the EOUSA and USAO organizations. This pilot study of the ALSS is a prelude to a trial study of a fully functional Regional Automated Litigation Support Facility (RALSF).

The pilot ALSS to be developed will be a Web based Portal system where major legal and document software applications will reside on a high-end applications server connected directly to a uniform database. Commonly used software applications, such as Office and Legal WordPerfect, and visual and audio applets will reside on the client workstations as necessary client tools. Access to the Portal can be via the internal DOJ EOUSA Intranet or via the public Internet using VPN and encryption methods. It is intended that the ALSS be a total one-stop-shopping system, where all elements, including textual, graphical, photographic, video, and audio information, for preparing and prosecuting a large-scale case can be accessed.

A pilot test network using Qwest's T1 Virtual Private Network (VPN) services has been implemented connecting the College of Law and the Office of Information Technology Management at West Virginia University at Morgantown and Vision Networks' office in Washington, DC.

Upon completion of this pilot project in April of 2003, the ALSS will be deployed at a RALSF where a trial of this enhanced automated litigation support will be used to litigate large actual cases.