Traffic courts on all islands will be closed from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4 as the Hawai'i State Judiciary upgrades to a new computer system that allows the public to access more information online.

Chief Justice Ronald Moon called the transition to the new system "a new technological era of the Judiciary as we work to create a modern, statewide, integrated case management system."

During the closure, no driver's license or vehicle registration clearances will be issued, and no in-person or online traffic payments will be accepted.

"We want to urge people who have business with the traffic courts to take care of it before Oct. 27," Marsha Kitagawa, a judiciary spokeswoman, said yesterday.

The closure is one of the first steps unifying all the state's appellate, circuit, family and district courts through a single database, said Kitagawa, who said the process will be completed over the next several years.

When the traffic courts close, mail-in payments will be accepted, but they will not be processed until the new computer system is operating. No penalties will be assessed if payments are postmarked by the due date, Kitagawa said.

Traffic abstracts also will be available for purchase at traffic counters, but they will only include violations up to Oct. 28.

Traffic arraignments, traffic trials and DUI trials all have been rescheduled, Kitagawa said. According to Kitagawa, people who had hearings during the closure period have been notified of a new court date. Hearings for people held in custody will continue as scheduled.

Kitagawa said the switch over to the Judiciary Information Management System is "much-needed and long awaited," and will allow judges and court staff to effectively schedule and manage cases. It also will be used to monitor compliance with court judgments and keep track of payments.

The Judiciary's existing online database, Ho'ohiki, will be shut down from Oct. 28 to Oct. 31 as it merges with the new system, Kitagawa said.

"The new online system will be the first time the public will be able to access traffic case information online," Kitagawa said. That system will be up on Nov. 7. Currently, the only way the public can obtain information about traffic cases is in person at a courthouse, she said.

Kitagawa said the new online system is important because it will allow people to check for outstanding traffic cases, ensure that information the Judiciary had is accurate, and see if they must appear in court.

According to Milton Hee, the system's project director, more features will be available starting Dec. 12 when people will be able to pay for traffic tickets online or via a telephone interactive voice response system.

Also starting Nov. 7, certified traffic abstracts will contain information about moving violations dating to 1994. Currently, abstracts only contain three years of data, Kitagawa said.

"This change is being implemented in part to comply with federal law and to ensure consistency among abstract records," she said.

Reach Loren Moreno at lmoreno@honoluluadvertiser.com.