Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Tacloban court conducts the first automated hearing

See - Tacloban court conducts the first automated hearing





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Tacloban City – Electronic court automation training specialists from the American Bar Association-Rule of Law Initiative were on hand to observe the first "automated hearing" conducted at the Tacloban Regional Trial Court, Branch 7, under the sala of Judge Yolanda Dagandan.

A bunch of lawyers inside the court were able to get their court orders a scant few minutes after the stenographer sent the document to the presiding judge for review and signature.

The system provides the judge with a monitor where she/he can see the orders sent by the stenographer.

The E-court project was part of the judicial reform program of the Supreme Court of the Philippines in partnership with the American Bar Association.

According to Rhina Lasala, Electronic Court Automation Training Specialist, the e-court project was created to help expedite the speedier disposition of cases.

"We have identified the mailing and transmittal of the orders as a significant factor in the delay, so here we are cutting down on the unnecessary intervening time," Lasala told InterAksyon.com.

She disclosed that Tacloban was, at first, not part of the pilot areas in the Philippines for this project. But, after super typhoon Yolanda in 2013, the donors wanted to include the Regional Trial Court in Tacloban City because of the damage that the monster storm brought to the court records.

Two weeks ago, ABA conducted a training activity to the court employees in preparation for the project, and, on June 22, scheduled the first electronic raffle of where the parties to the case would be able to know where their case will be tried.

Other pilot areas include Quezon City, Angeles City in Pampanga, Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu and Davao City.

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