Magisterial District Justice offices in Schuylkill County will be closed for all business at staggered days as staff members will be undergoing computer training for installation of an E-pay system it was announced by President Judge William E. Baldwin.

The closing schedues are as follows:Magisterial District of Judge James Ferrier, Orwigsburg, from April 18 through 21; Magisterial District of Judge Stephen Bayer, Tamaqua, April 25 through 29; Magisterial District of Judge David Plachko, Port Carbon, May 2 through 6; Magisterial District of Judge James Reiley, Pottsville;, May 2 through 6; Magisterial District in Frackville, which does not have a permanent district justice, May 9 through 13; Magisterial District of Judge Anthony Kilker, Shenandoah, May 9 through 13 and Magisterial District of Judge Carol Pankake, Tremont, May 16 through 20.E-pay is being made available through an upgraded court computer system that will be installed in Schuylkill County's courts on May 23. According to Judge Baldwin the new system will not only allow defendants to pay court financial obligations online, it will allow court staff access to statewide bail and warrant information, features expected to save costs and further improve court collections.Fines and costs for traffic, non-traffic, summary appeal and criminal cases as well as restitution can be paid through E-Pay. The processing of payments is dependent upon the individual court to which the payment has been made. Courts may restrict certain individuals or cases from online payment.The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) is providing the service at no cost to the county. A transaction convenience fee of $2.75 will be charged to the user. A person interested in making court payments online will navigate to the United Judicial Web Portal at

http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/, select the e-Commerce/e-Pay link, then search for his or her cases and payment plans.The Web application will send the user a payment confirmation generated by the e-Pay vendor and court officials will get a notification that a payment is pending.Lukach has planThe E-Pay plan has been in operation in the office of Clerks of Courts Stephen Lukach for two years. When it first became available Lukach immediately took steps to have it installed and operating in the Clerk of Courts office at the courthouse and it has paid off tremendously.Lukach reported for the year 2009 his office collected $2,051,609.65 and for the year 2010 collected $2,180,045.50. Lukach said the plan he has operating in his office includes payments by credit cards, e-mail and the internet. The monies collected are distributed to the state, county, boroughs and townships.The payments were made on sentences imposed by county judges for fines, court costs and restitution to victims.Lukach reported payments by E-Pay alone for the period October to Dec. 31, 2010, totaled $6,997 and for the period from January to April 12 totaled $21,650.90.