PHL Supreme Court goes 'paperless' with eCourt system

In a bid to introduce more streamlined and efficient "paperless courts," the Supreme Court on Friday launched at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court the first ever "electronic Court (eCourt)," a computer-based system to organize and control case workflows, from filing to implementation.

 

The computerized system, launched at an event led by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, was being pilot-tested at the QC RTC for eventual use in all courts nationwide.

 

In a speech, Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro admitted the creation of a "case management system" for the judiciary was "long overdue."

 

"The choice of Quezon City was purposely done. May this serve as a model and will rolled out in 12 regions," De Castro said during the event which was also attended by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and Court Administrator Midas Marquez.

 

For his part, QC Presiding Judge Bernelito Fernandez said he hoped the new system would serve as a "gateway for quality justice."

 

"Even court employees nowadays play Angry Birds, Temple Run, and Candy Crush... at home," said Fernandez, eliciting laughter from the audience, mostly composed of QC court personnel.

 

"The judiciary cannot be left behind. And it has to answer to the growing need compuerize court processes," he added.

 

Features

 

The eCourt system can be used to capture basic case information as they are filed, and tracks subsequent documents filed at the branch courts. "This ensures that basic case data is entered only once and avoids repetition in the administrative processes," the SC said, adding that all pertinent information about cases would be readily available botht to courts and the public.

 

The system also minimizes or prevents errors in court fee payments, by automatically assessing the correct fee to be charged. The system records payments made for each case and prints out official receipts.

 

Assigning of cases or "docketing" as well as raffling of cases to judges are all done electronically through the eCourt.

 

The system also monitors and manages important dates relative to a case, and records different actions made during hearings, as well as the status of cases.

 

Decisions and writs of execution are likewise uploaded into the database.

 

A "dashboard" also allows a court personnel to customize the panes to be displayed based on his or her defined role in using the system. — TJD, GMA News