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When Jurats are sworn in, it's often remarked that they should have "long arms and strong biceps" to be able to deal with the sheer volume of court documents they'll have to consider in each case - but soon that will be an issue of the past.
Jersey's Court Service has announced it will be adopting a new platform to share evidence digitally and reduce the use of paper in court.
The installation of the platform, CaseLines Digital Evidence Center from Thomson Reuters, is first step in a plan to give the island's courts a complete digital overhaul.
The annual cost of the system will be funded by the Judicial Greffe, with no costs being passed on to law firms.
It was initially trialled over three months in 2020, being used in several civil and criminal hearings.
Explaining how the system works, Project Manager Laura Rebours said: “The platform gives all litigants, including those acting in person, the ability to easily provide documents to the court and to all other parties electronically for any hearing and even during a hearing itself.
“...If counsel wanted to refer the court to paragraph 20 of a particular decision, they can pull that paragraph up on the screen of all other persons currently using the program — without ever accessing the computers of those other individuals or sharing their own screen.
"Counsel are also able to 'bookmark' portions of the evidence to seamlessly move through the record during oral argument."
Pictured: The system will allow the court to locate key evidence documents quickly and easily, rather than flicking through hefty bundles.
Elaborating on potential savings from the investment, she added: “The court system is a significant generator of paper and consumer of resources.
“A digital solution removes the reliance on paper and we anticipate savings across all those involved in the court process.”
The plan is to introduce the system in phases, beginning later this month with cases heard by the Master of the Royal Court, followed by the Family Division and civil and public law cases in the Royal Court.
It will then begin to be introduced in some criminal cases in the Royal Court, beginning with sentencings, hearings and, in time, jury trials.
The eventual intention is for the system to be used across the Royal Court, Magistrate’s Court, Petty Debts Court, Family Court, Youth Court, Tribunals Service and Court of Appeal.
Pictured: The Bailiff called the new platform "a major step forward for Jersey's courts and tribunals."
Bailiff Timothy Le Cocq said: “We are embarking on a modernisation programme that will help make justice more accessible and efficient.
The use of CaseLines in recent hearings has allowed all parties to participate by accessing material online rather than on paper. In one case, the length of the hearing was significantly reduced, finishing half a day earlier than scheduled.
“The introduction of this software is a major step forward for Jersey’s courts and tribunals.”
Judicial Greffier and Product Sponsor, Advocate Adam Clarke said: “We were very pleased with the feedback received by all participants involved in the proof of concept in terms of the ease with which they were able to access material online while taking part in proceedings. CaseLines is a proven solution that is used by courts across the world.
“It also matches the Government’s ‘cloud first strategy’ and our requirement to integrate with existing and future systems.”
Thomson Reuters Marketing Strategy Director, Sean O’Connell, added: “COVID-19 has been challenging for courts around the world and Jersey is a great example of a forward-thinking small jurisdiction which is transforming access to justice.
“The implementation in Jersey shows CaseLines' flexibility in delivering value for jurisdictions and courts of all sizes. CaseLines will also broaden the capabilities of Jersey’s Courts, introducing the way forward of operating a mixture of both virtual and in-person hearings.”
A case management system to sit alongside CaseLines is also being looked into, with the Court hoping a supplier will be selected later this year.
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