AWS Public Sector Blog
How Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office modernized subpoena processing with AWS and CC Tech Digital
Digital transformation in government is no longer optional—it’s an imperative. The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office partnered with AWS (Amazon Web Services) and CC Tech Digital, an AWS Advanced Tier Partner, to modernize its subpoena handling process using a cloud-native, serverless solution on AWS.
By automating document uploads, integrating directly with Microsoft Word, and securely routing subpoenas to the correct agencies, the new system now manages over 17,000 subpoenas annually—with improved speed, accuracy, and compliance.
The challenge: Manual subpoena processes slowed operations
Before modernization, subpoena processing in Contra Costa County relied heavily on manual workflows that caused inefficiencies across multiple touchpoints:
- Subpoenas were uploaded to on-premises file shares.
- PDF files were split and reviewed through manual steps.
- Email communication relied on static contact lists.
- Tracking and reporting capabilities were minimal.
- Cross-system coordination required notable IT involvement.
While this approach worked for many years, it was time-intensive and prone to inconsistencies. As demand grew for more transparency and timely legal communication, these manual workflows became harder to sustain.
The solution: A serverless, cloud-native subpoena platform built on AWS
To address these challenges, CC Tech Digital and AWS delivered a fully automated, cloud-native application powered by AWS serverless architecture. The solution seamlessly integrates with existing county systems, including Microsoft Word, and requires minimal training for legal staff.
Streamlined Subpoena Submission via Microsoft Word
Legal staff can now upload subpoenas directly from Word using a custom-built Microsoft Office Add-In. With a single click, users submit documents into the processing pipeline—without leaving their familiar workspace. The add-in validates document formatting, page counts, and required fields in real-time, reducing failed submissions and ensuring initial compliance.
Figure 1. Sample Subpoena document and the Microsoft Add-in upload portal
Intelligent PDF processing and email delivery on AWS
Once a document is uploaded, a fully serverless pipeline takes over:
- Document detection
Files uploaded to Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) are detected by AWS Lambda, triggering the processing workflow. - Automated PDF splitting
Multi-page subpoenas (20–30 pages) are split into multiple PDFs, with each agency receiving only the relevant two pages, per legal policy. - AI-based field extraction
Using Amazon Textract, key fields such as case number, agency name, and subpoena metadata are extracted from the document. - Dynamic routing and email dispatch
A lookup is performed in Amazon DynamoDB to determine the correct agency recipient. The corresponding PDF is then emailed automatically via Amazon Simple Email Service (Amazon SES), eliminating manual routing. - Error handling and administrator notifications
If the system encounters a mismatch or failure, it automatically notifies the admin with error diagnostics and instructions.
Figure 2. Sample email with attached information that is personalized to the recipient
Built-in security, compliance, and cost optimization
Security and compliance were foundational to the solution’s design:
- AWS WAF: Upload access is restricted to authorized Contra Costa County IP addresses, reducing the risk of unauthorized submissions.
- Amazon S3: All documents are encrypted at rest using AWS Key Management Service (KMS) with FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic modules and encrypted in transit via TLS using FIPS-compliant endpoints.
- AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM): Role-based policies ensure that only authorized staff can upload subpoena files.
- Amazon S3 lifecycle policies: Documents are automatically transitioned to cost-efficient cold storage (for example, S3 Glacier) after 90 days to meet data retention and budgetary needs.
These features help the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office meet strict data protection standards without burdening staff or IT teams.
Results: Measurable impact across the organization
The table below highlights the results achieved by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office after implementing the new serverless, cloud-native solution:
| Category | Impact |
| Efficiency | Reduced manual tasks by over 80% |
| Accuracy | Improved document routing with AI and dynamic lookups |
| User Experience | One-click uploads directly from Word with real-time feedback |
| Compliance & Security | Enforced access controls, encrypted storage, and full audit visibility |
| Scalability | No infrastructure to manage; handles over 17,000 subpoenas annually—and this number is expected to increase |
“CC Tech helped us transform how we handle subpoenas—improving efficiency, transparency, and compliance with a modern cloud-native solution on AWS.”
— James Mount, IT Director, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
Conclusion: A scalable blueprint for public sector modernization
This project is a model for how local government agencies can modernize document workflows using AWS. The Contra Costa County DA’s Office now benefits from a fully automated, AI-enhanced subpoena platform that eliminates manual steps, improves compliance, and scales effortlessly with demand.
By partnering with CC Tech Digital and leveraging AWS services like Amazon Textract, AWS Lambda, Amazon SES, and AWS WAF, public sector organizations can future-proof critical operations—without disrupting their existing tools or teams.