e-Court system to speed up cases in Cebu city

A representative from the American Bar Council teaches employees of the Municipal Trial Court in Cebu City how to raffle cases electronically. The American Bar Council was asked by the Supreme Court to assist in the implementation of its electronic court program. CDN PHOTO/ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL

Litigants in Cebu City no longer need to  wait for Mondays to know  which court room is assigned to handled a newly filed case.

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday rolled out its electronic raffle system in the Municipal Trial Court (MTC) in Cebu City, a project which is seen to speed up  court processes.

Electronic raffling of cases is part of the e-Court system that will be implemented in all Cebu City trial courts.

“This will definitely speed up the process. Before, litigants would wait for Monday the succeding week before a case is raffled. Now, before they leave the Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) after filing a case, they know which branch to follow up their case,” said Kathrina Lasala, e-Court automation training specialist.

Lasala and another member of the American Bar Association yesterday showed how newly filed petitions are encoded and raffled.

A 12-member team trains court employees in Cebu City how to use the system  in prepation for   full implementation of the e-Court system.

The High Court’s e-Court system is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by the American Bar Association.

“The goal of the  e-Court is  to computerize court processes in order to avoid delays. I think it will definitely help,” Lasala said.

The e-Court system was piloted in five other areas in the country: Quezon City, Lapu-Lapu City, Angeles town in Pampanga, Tacloban City, and Davao City.

Computer laptops and scanners were distributed to the 22 Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) and eight MTCCs in Cebu City in an attempt to speed up the disposal of cases and unclog court dockets.

An online database of cases will allow the Supreme Court (SC) to monitor the progress of pleadings.

The automated feature also allows a lawyer to get a printed copy of a judge’s verbal order within 15 minutes after it is issued in open court, while transcripts of hearings can  be available 20 days after the court proceeding.

Court employees underwent seminars on the  electronic program and processes.

Mike Mayor, records officer of the MTCC in Cebu City, said it remains to be seen whether the e-Court system will address the slow disposition of cases.

“For now, what I can say is that this electronic raffling of cases is truly hassle-free. Let’s see if the e-court system will help,” he said.

Reforms the High Court intends to implement include electronic filing and raffling of cases, making available electronic transcripts of hearings, SMS text notice for court schedules and hearings, public information kiosks for updates of cases, an alarm system for judges, and electronic service of processes and subpoenas.