Tuesday, July 23, 2013

SC’s new e-Court system uses PH-developed software

 The newly launched e-Court system of the Supreme Court is using a homegrown solution from local software house Ideyatech Inc., a first step by the judiciary towards automating court processes and to go paperless.

The e-Court system, which is being funded by the USAID, is an electronic end-to-end case management system that organizes cases digitally, from filing of complaints to resolution and enforcement.
Ideyatech specializes on Java technology and is based in Ortigas, Pasig City. It has provided software services for the Philippine legal sector, including the Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Office of the Solicitor General, as well as other government agencies such the Department of Agrarian Reform.
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno led the launch of the project last June 14 in Quezon City where the e-Court is being piloted. “We can only deliver justice if the systems that will deliver justice are abled… and the e-Court system is a step in the right direction,” Sereno said.
The e-Court system allows the capture of basic case information, as well as the tracking and monitoring of cases, down to the issuance of notices of decision and writs of execution.
It allows automatic computation of court fees and issues official receipts, corresponding to a generated docket number for new cases. It also allows electronic raffling or assigning of cases which removes human intervention and prevents assumptions of rigging of cases.
A calendar of hearings is also a feature of the system that allows judges to view happenings on a daily, weekly, up to an annual basis.
The public can also search for cases according to case number, category, or title, and allows monitoring of cases in terms of history or status. The e-Court can show the status of active and pending cases, as well as a notice of overstaying detainees that efficiently reminds the concerned judge or legal entity.
Sereno said that the system is open for further innovation, including possibly serving court notices digitally that can be received by lawyers and litigation officers, archiving and retrieval, and the use of electronic forms that streamline administrative processes.
The project will be pilot-tested in regional trial courts in Quezon City which holds majority of the cases in the entire Metro Manila. SC Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, chairperson of the Computerization and Library Committee, said this pilot testing will hopefully serve as a model when SC eventually rolls out the project in all other regions in the country.
“Working with government agencies on automation projects could be very daunting. Our team, however, is consistent in addressing the software requirements of our clients in a timely and orderly manner. Our efforts result not only to successful system implementations, but also ultimately to contribute to the country’s growth, which is priceless for us,” Tan said.

source:  Newsbytes

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