courts use of technology

COURTS USE OF TECHNOLOGY

PC RotaCurrent use – Judicial SchedulingFuture development

case schedulingExpansion for scheduling other resource

requirements, e.g. Clerks, monitors, facilitiesEfforts for web base to accommodate Crown

and defence access for scheduling

PC RotaSearch Criteria

PC RotaJudges’ weekly schedules

PC RotaCourtroom weekly schedule

PC RotaDuty Rotation

CCAIN-Criminal Courts’ Automated Information Network

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Efforts for defence/public access underwayDevelopment plans for integration with PC

Rota as well as ability to provide information to Corrections, Prosecutions, police and other stakeholders

PRISM- Prosecution Information and Scheduling Management

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PRISM View into CCAIN

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Electronic Disclosure – scanning of files currently

CON data transfer – creating of Virtual files

VIDEO ACCESS TO CLIENTS“Go To Meeting” from office to institutionHopping from Court office

ManagingCaseload / Workload by Videoconferencing

inBritish Columbia

The Provincial Court of

Cases are scheduled months in advance;Courtrooms are overbooked;Cases are pre-trialed and managed many

times over;Counsel assure us their trials are proceeding;

Trial Day ….. Most trials do not proceed.

The Provincial Court of

Day of Trial Collapse Rates in B.C.

Adult Criminal Cases(January 1 – September 30, 2012)

The Provincial Court of

Proceeded

Guilty Plea

Stay Bench Warrant

Adjourned No Judges Available

30% 40% 13% 5% 9% 3%

The Provincial Court of

Have a Judge? Need a Judge?

Provincial Videoconferencing Workload Management

What is it?

Centrally managed;Effective use of available resources;Quick response;

The Provincial Court of

Marketing:

Technology is just a tool, the trick is to motivate people to use it.

Trying to motivate both Judges and Lawyers.

The Provincial Court of

Motivating Judges:

Valuable tool available to the Court.

Reduction in travel requirements by Judge.

Quality of the video picture promotes confidence in using the system.

The Provincial Court of

Motivating Lawyers:

Valuable tool available to the Court.

Assist in reducing number of appearances.

Must have the ability to speak to their client.

(Above all) requires leadership from Judiciary.

The Provincial Court of

Have a Judge / Need a Judge Usage

January 1 – September 30

The Provincial Court of

# of Judges Offered

January – September 2011

175

January – September 2012

313

More Effective Use of Judge Resources Through Technology

Direct benefit to “receiving” Court location.

Separating work that can stall a courtlist;

Allows the Judge to begin with trials without interruptions;

Reduces the imbalance amongst Courts;

The Provincial Court of

Current usage:

For Judges (sitting remotely by video)Sentence hearings, interim remands, bail hearings;Submissions (where no evidence is required);Decisions/Arguments;Pre-trial conferences;Family interim appearances and family case

management;Civil settlement conferences;Civil applications.

The Provincial Court of

Limitations

Some Judges may not want to hear certain types of remote appearances;

Limited by the criminal code and the usage of remote appearances;

Many types of appearances can be by consent ;

Change of culture.

The Provincial Court of

Timeline Management System(TMS)Front End protocolAbility for judiciary to track status of cases and

hold counsel accountablePTCs also feed information into systemAdministrative Courts – Judiciary refer to status

in TMS to manage expectations of counselTCO – confirm dates prearranged with counselCase Management Coordinator enters

information from report confirming authorization by Judiciary and ensuring follow up

Timeline Monitoring System (TMS)

TMS

Case ManagementHistory of Case ManagementSkill set required for JudiciaryTime requiredStatsBacklog numbersGeneral TrendsResolution of cases

Case Management Conference Dates

CMCsDefence perspectiveNeed to hold back informationAbility to have resolution discussions and

have the CMC Judge hear the matter

CMCsCrown perspectiveAlways be collapse ratePurposePressure to resolve

Future Case Management Changes in BC

Criminal Caseflow Management Rules (1999)

Overall driving strategy: The effective, efficient and equitable use of resources.

What have we learned?

• Inability to effectively use Judge time mainly because of case collapses on the day of trial;

• Complex front-end process with high impact and low return on investment.

The Provincial Court of

Future Case Management Changes in BC

More creative in using our Judicial Resources;

1) Delayed Assignment Court;

2) Simplified Front-End Criminal Process;

3) Effective use of Judges through new policies, procedures and technology (ie: video).

The Provincial Court of

Assignment Court processJudicial roleWhen technology can complicate processesCollapse rateOverbookingVirtual listsUse of video to supply additional judicial

resourceResulting increase in afternoon sittings

Electronic Information projectLegislation potentially fallAllow for swearing of all Informations

electronicallystorage and access of all Informations

electronicallyOnly physically present when required by

Judiciary

MB Justice Innovation BranchCreated in 2012Representation from each areaHigh level coordination Defence access via internetAssignment courtGathering of statistical management

information