Information Technology:  Scope in Court Management

Muhammad Ali

Information Technology occupies a pervasive role, and courts are no exception to it. IT gives vent to untrodden horizons and avenues with a wider impact on court practices. Precisely, it manages complex caseloads, simplifies case filing and indexing, accelerates the overall efficiency, and sets high standards of work. Identically, IT stands in good stead to evaluate judicial business in the face of emerging trends and traits.

This age of flux, demands proficiency and core competencies in IT and its associated management skills, from all the Judges, for speedy dispensation of justice. It is vital for them to fully recognize the scope of IT in Judiciary as to revitalize public esteem and confidence. It is crucial to ensure “access to justice” for all, which requires concerted efforts by government, the Bar and the Bench.

Cyber ignorance is horrendous and broadly affects all economic, political, and social groups. From filling out electronic forms to engaging in digital commerce, a grasp of cyber skills is vital for survival.  The benefits of IT in court management, to litigants, judges, advocates, and court staff are proverbial and vibrant. IT improves the accessibility of court services, and delivery of services to the public. It entails better communication, internally, among the bench, legislature and other governmental departments, and so enhances the public’s confidence in and respect for the courts.

First and foremost, the international practices on court automation like e-courts, electronic case processing, and judicial information system (JIS) are long-standing, remarkably in US, UK, Australia, Singapore and India. Still, several software products on court automation like CASEMAN, LOCCS, DCM etc. are developed and customized far and wide. Sequentially, such application, centrally generates a filing counter, automatically files a case, posts it to the Judge, registers it in State/District Court, generates a receipt for litigant or his advocate and finally, at the end of day, generates all the desired reports. The routine court proceedings like notices, orders, ‘certified copies’ etc. are also generated by the system.

Then, Online tracking and query of cases allows the litigants, to enquire and obtain information on the status of case, anywhere round the clock. Case Flow Management entails legal information databases, online precedents, citations, codes, statues etc. Beyond other hallmarks the cause list generation, monitoring, pooling of judgments, and feedback are well acclaimed.  

The use of office applications like word processor, in the court replaces rattling typewriters, and eliminates redundant typing. Instantaneous Creation of judgments and other court documents form “template” saves time and capital. The features like “Speech Recognition” and “Text to read”, takes up the court proceeding efficiently and reliably.   Moreover, installation of spreadsheets calculates in financial disputes and in bankruptcy cases, and thus, eliminates the need to send cases to experts.  Scheduled reports and accurate statistical information on court proceedings can be generated to assess and evaluate the performance of court.

As well, generation of automatic and updated cause list streamlines and systematizes the court operations. The historical data, can be stored, processed and accessed effortlessly in electronic format and its regular back ups averts the risk of loss or damage of court record. Plausibly the electronic courtroom presentations bring in a turn towards better.

Besides, digital storage of case material and electronic transmission of information between the courts, and among police. Utilization of diskettes, flash cards and other gadgets, by judges in the course of typing judgments, eliminates the practice of re-type entire documents. Use of CDs and DVDs provide audio, video and graphical access on evidence, and can also be used in the installation of latest tools.

 Similarly, computer assisted legal research through an access to worldwide information and resources; to extract pertinent reference material makes the information readily available to judges. Web versions of national and international legal databases, and electronic subscription to online libraries, legal Journals, Decisions, and Court Reviews etc. are of immense worth. 

Then, this enhances mental vision of judges and improves their decision-giving tendency. The integration of net-based communications like e-mails, net meetings, video conferencing, intranet etc. and extensive application of touch screens, video cams, sound systems etc. in the courts entails transparency and accountability. The legal and general search engines boost up the culture of research amid the judicial fraternity.

When it comes to Pakistan, the Courts’ Automation Plan is underway, under the aegis of ‘Strengthening of Institutional Capacity for Judicial and Legal Reforms”. This project is sponsored by Asian Development Bank’s Access to Justice Program. Broadly, the ‘Automation Plan’ comprises three phases i.e. study of existing system, analysis of automation needs and implementation of the system., and lays down the principles of standardization, data integrity and security. Its applications like Case Flow Management, Subordinate Courts Monitoring System, Complaints Monitoring System, Research and Reference System, Procurement and Personnel System, Public Inquiry System and archiving of old documents, are startling.

Functionally, the software components like U-Matrix, Case Admin, Legal Minds, Case Filters, Cause list, Case Tracker, Legal Eye, Case Reporter and Case Inquiry, streamline and fine-tune the court proceeding effectively. The electronic coordination among Supreme Court, High Court, lower judiciary and other legal establishments facilitate the exchange of useful information for supporting higher quality of decision-making.

No doubt, the assimilation and alignment of IT resources takes time even in the west, but a staunch optimism together with sound strategy in sequencing, monitoring, evaluation and mid-course corrections is an absolute imperative, for its successful implementation.

The challenges ahead for the Judicial Fraternity lie not merely in coping with rapid changes brought about by globalization and developments in IT but in being able to retain its ideals of service with a concern for the public good. The prospects of professional excellence and integrity in the context of fast changing world, Judges must be conscious of the demands of globalization. Such as, free flow of communication, free exchange of ideas and opinions, learning from each other's thinking and experience, ‘love for excellence’ to eradicate delay reduction are also pre-requisite of globalization. IT tools, certainly play wonderful role to achieve these avowed goals.   

At the end, the augmentation of IT disciplines and tools in judicial training and curriculum development becomes an incumbent on Judiciary. This, in turn, triggers the speedy dispensation of Justice and disseminates the benefits of information services smoothly and promptly. (Published in PLD October,2004)