elitigation Integrated Electronic Litigation System
Singapore Judiciary Electronic System 2 nd Generation Filing Jan 2013, new electronic filing system launched on Supreme Court 1st Generation Filing Electronic Filing System (EFS)- implemented in March 2000.
Achievements of EFS End-to-end electronic filing system Industry- and nation-wide system Spearheading the use of IT in legal profession EFS coincided with LawNet, Government push for eservices & Internet explosion Benefits to law practices 24/7 filing 37% of documents filed after hours Inspection and extraction of documents Benefits to Judiciary Electronic registry system Workflow managing hearings Routing of case files no more misplaced files Storage & retrieval e.g. cases not on hearing list
Lessons Learnt Evolving Internet standards Picked one digital certificate standard before adoption of open standard by Internet community Resulted in digital certificate and Certification Authority system with legacy and support issues Display technology not ready (CRTs back then) Prolonged viewing strains the eyes Smaller screen sizes limit the number of documents that can be viewed at any one time Decision not to review processes Computerisation of paper-based workflows Failure to reap exponential gains in implementation of IT Digitisation of paper is inefficient More time spent preparing documents Scanning documents an additional work process More time spent filing Transmission slow
Advent of integrated Electronic Litigation System IELS
Overall strategy Litigation process re-engineering Simplify and harmonise legal and administrative processes to maximise efficiencies from computerisation Focus on People Upgrading skills and re-designing jobs to transition registry staff to become Case Management Officers Implementation of collaborative tools Technology refresh eforms technology to electronic filing and to enable the reuse and syndication of party, case and hearing information Use of RSS technology for the syndication of hearing lists and other case information Modern workflow engine to automate processes
FE Function e- Filing e- Service Case Information Repository Calendaring Law Firm Registration Notification and Alerts Law Firm Service Bureau FE Users Filing elit Conceptual Architecture SingPass Authentication Front-end FE Portal Back-end Supreme Court State Courts BE Function Hearings & Calendaring Management Workflow Management E-Hearing Management Case Management Finance Management Online Enquiry Management Cross Court Access Court Users External Agencies Interface File Exchange File Exchange Interface External Agencies
FILING & SERVICE
4 Step E-Filing wizard
Step 1 Step 1: Case Info This stage inputs the information pertaining to Case details List of Parties Questionnaires
Step 2: Form Step 2 The Form Page allows the user to perform the following functions relating to Court forms: Compose/pre-populate draft Upload Download Add/Delete a Document
Step 3 Step 3: Admin Details This stage provides the user with administrative information and input of the following details: Hearing Details Urgent Indicator Backdate Request eservice Filing Fees and Waiver Details
Step 4 Step 4: Submission The final stage allows the user to preview and print the details of the case before confirming it for submission.
Service of Documents File and Serve Allows filing party to make a request to file a document in court and to serve it on opposing party with one-click
ONLINE CASE FILE
Case Information
Party Information
Documents
Hearing: History and Future
Billing Information
Online Case File Full access to case file for duration of case Online inspection of case file by non-party Extended on appeal Pack-N-Go Entire case file into a single PDF for off-line reading Generation of Bundles Set down, trial, record of proceeding, etc RSS feed of hearing dates E-mail & SMS alerts
Beyond Electronic Filing Towards Electronic Hearings
Strategy Provide infrastructure, not application Focus on equipping courtrooms with appropriate technology Tech Courts and Mobile Infotech Trolley Electronic signages and queue management Digital Transcription System Video conferencing Promote availability of soft copies of documents Local network download of case documents after 14 days Pack-N-Go for lawyers Practice Direction on Electronic Discovery
Technology in Court Different levels of technology equipping in court rooms Normal courtrooms Microphones for Digital Transcription Service Wifi connection Powerpoints! Technology Courts Video conferencing Projector with 100" screen LCD panels at lawyers bar table Mobile Infotech Trolley
Digital Transcription Service Digital Transcription System (DTS): Integrated system to facilitate the digital audio recording of court hearings and the preparation of transcripts Available for all open court trials in actions begun by writs The audio recording is, pursuant to O. 38A, r. 1 of the Rules of Court, the official record of hearing. DTS is also available for some other open court proceedings, eg, criminal cases. Implemented in 23 Courtrooms + 2 Large Chambers.
Justice Online Justice Online Videoconferencing: Web-based video conferencing system Lawyers can conduct court hearing from their offices Used heavily for bankruptcy cases before the Registrar.
Electronic Signage Display panel outside hearing chambers
Electronic Queue Management Display panel in the lobby
Electronic Queue Management Taking a queue number at the kiosk
Dual Screens Making sure that everyone is on the same page
Dual Screens Public and private screens
Mega Court
Legislative Framework Registrar s Circular No 1 of 2006: Electronic Hearing in Chambers before Registrar <http://app.supremecourt.gov.sg/data/doc/managepage/99/2006%20- %201.pdf> Order 63A, Rules of Court Provides detailed rules that deal with, inter alia, timing of filing/service Firstlink Energy Pte Ltd v Creanovate Pte Ltd [2006] SGHC 19 Hogberg Fred Rickard Robin William v Singapore Polo Club and Another [2007] SGDC 265 Electronic Transactions Act Provides legal framework for digital signatures Every submission is digitally signed Recent case law developments on electronic signatures Joseph Mathew and another v Singh Chiranjeev and another [2010] 1 SLR 338; [2009] SGCA 51 SM Integrated Transware Pte Ltd v Schenker Singapore (Pte) Ltd [2005] 2 SLR(R) 651; [2005] SGHC 58 Wee Soon Kim Anthony v Lim Chor Pee and another [2005] 4 SLR(R) 367; [2005] SGHC 159
FUTURE OF ELECTRONIC HEARINGS
Practice Direction to promote use of technology during hearings Setting standards for use of presentation slides and other presentation tools Access to courtroom for preparation and familiarisation Use of Web 2.0 technologies Virtual pre-trial conferences Electronic Hearings
Electronic Discovery Practice Direction 3 of 2009, with effect from 1 October 2009 Sets down practice for discovery and inspection of electronically stored documents Electronic discovery protocol for general discovery Inspection protocol for forensic inspection of storage media and recording devices Encourage exchange of electronically stored documents in soft copy Native format preferred Otherwise, list of reasonably usable format Policy objectives Promote use of desktop search engines and document review tools Benefits in preparation of witness affidavits and cross-examination
Electronic Discovery Articles Discovery and Inspection of Electronically Stored Documents: A Commentary on Practice Direction No 3 of 2009: Part 1 <http://www.lawgazette.com.sg/2009-10/feature1.htm> Part 2 <http://www.lawgazette.com.sg/2009-11/feature5.htm> Recent developments in electronic discovery: Discovering electronic documents and discovering documents electronically <http://www.sal.org.sg/digitallibrary/lists/sal%20journal/disp Form.aspx?ID=417> Case law Fermin Aldabe v Standard Chartered Bank [2009] SGHC 194 Alliance Management SA v Pendleton Lane P and another and another suit [2008] 4 SLR(R) 1; [2008] SGHC 76 Alliance Management SA v Pendleton Lane P and another and another suit [2007] 4 SLR(R) 343; [2007] SGHC 133
http://www.elitigation.sg/getready/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/electronic_filing_system THANK YOU