DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB BASED LEGAL PRACTITIONER APPLICATION SYSTEM
ABSTRACT
The system is designed in order to successfully communicate legal
activities on the web and allowing for a more transparent judicial system.
The web based application system addresses the initial problems of the
previous system in handling judicial matters which hitherto involves a lot
of “paper works” which is usually done manually and this lead to a lot of
delayed cases and also lacked of transparency. The current system
addresses the issues that were encountered by the previous system, cases
are now easily entered online and the judgment of such cases are also
published online for everyone who has access to the system to view
making it more transparent; the current system also helps to reduce lots of
“paper work” that was synonymous with the previous system, making
legal activities more faster in execution. Furthermore reference can easily
be made on the web about a particular case unlike in the previous system
where many research has to be carried out. The program was designed
using “Visual Basic” version 6.0
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract vi
Table of contents ix
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Statement of problems 2
1.2 Aims and objectives 3
1.3 Scope of the study 6
1.4 Limitations of the study 6
1.5 Definition of terms 7
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review 12
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Description and Analysis of Existing System 17
3.1 Fact finding method 19
3.2 Background of case study 21
3.3 Objectives of existing system 23
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3.4 Input process, output analysis 24
3.5 Information flow diagram 28
3.6 Problems of existing system 29
3.7 Justification of existing system 31
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Design and implementation 33
4.1 Output specification and design 36
4.2 Input specification and design 41
4.3 File design 44
4.4 Procedure chart 48
4.5 System requirement 50
4.6 Implementation 53
4.7 Program design 54
4.8 Program flow chart 56
4.9 Test Run 64
4.10 Documentation 65
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Conclusion and recommendation
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendation
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
To understand the web-based legal practitioner application
system, it includes not merely the profession, which is practiced in
courts but also covers law teaching, law research, administration in
different branches where law plays a role and in fact, commercial
and industrial employment and all other activities, which postulates
and requires the use of legal knowledge and skill and which adopts
legal process also fall within its scope. The web based legal
practitioner comprises all those who use technical legal knowledge
through net in performing their various occupational roles. These
will include such categories as practitioners of law and legal
advisers, judges and magistrates, Area court Judges and Islamic
Court Judges, academic lawyers and scholars, legal technicians
(e.g. consultants) etc.
A legal practitioner is a person entitled to practice as a
barrister (advocate) or as a barrister and solicitor. In Nigeria, every
legal practitioner is a barrister and solicitors. For example, an
advocate practicing in a country whose legal system is similar to
that of Nigeria may be permitted by the chief justice of Nigeria to
practice as a barrister. The chief justice has no power to permit him
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to practices as a solicitor. Furthermore, a senior Advocate of
Nigeria is not entitled to practice as a solicitor.
1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The problem statement is mainly centralized on the existing
method of wed-based legal practitioner application system. The
information obtained on-line, shows that a legal practitioner is
entitled to recover his charges by action in a court of competent
jurisdiction. In General, before a legal practitioner brings such
action, a bill for the charges containing particulars of the principal
items included in the bill and signed by him, or in the case of a firm
by one of the partners or in the name of the firm, must have been
served on the client personally or left for him at his last address as
known to the practitioner or sent by post addressed to the client at
that address.
In addition, the period of one month beginning with the date
of delivery of the bill must have expired. There are provisions in
the legal practitioners for taxation of bills of charges delivered by
legal practitioner to his clients.
The council is to be consulted by the Attorney-General of the
federation before making regulations for the enrolment as legal
practitioners in Nigeria, Court of Appeal Enugu as a case study,
members of the legal profession in any other country on a
reciprocal basis.
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The Attorney – General of the federation is also required to
hold consultations with the council before varying the rates of
practicing fees specified.
1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The web-based legal practitioner application system has an
increasingly important role in a modern state not only in
dispensation of justice but also in the formulation of a just legal
order and in the preservation of an efficient juristic order.
The characteristics of the on-line legal practitioner such as
independence, integrity, official administration of courts and
administration of justice.
There is a roll of legal practitioners kept as a roll of court and
maintained by the chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
In general, a person is entitled to be enrolled if and only if:
(a) He has been called to the bar by the body of Benchers; and
(b) He produces a certificate of his call to the Bar to the Chief
Registrar of Supreme Court.
In general, persons whose names are on the roll of legal
practitioners kept as a roll of court and maintained by the chief
Register of the Supreme Court are entitled to practice as barristers
and solicitors. However, the chief justice of Nigeria may, by
warrant under his hand authorize a person, whose name is not on
the roll, on payment to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of
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such fee not exceeding 50 Naira as may be specified in the warrant,
to practice as a barrister for the purpose of specified proceedings
and of any appeal brought in connection with those proceedings.
The power of the chief justice to authorise a person to practise
as a barrister under this provision is exercisable where:
(a) an application for permission to practice as a barrister is made to
the chief justice by or on behalf of any person who in the
opinion of the chief justice is entitled to practice as an advocate
in any country where the legal system is similar to that of
Nigeria; and
(b) The chief justice is of the opinion that it is expedient to permit
the person to practice as a barrister for the purpose of
proceedings with respect to which the application is brought.
Furthermore, a person for the time being exercising the
functions of any of the following offices is entitled to practice as a
barrister and solicitor for the purposes of the office:
(a) The office of the Attorney-General, solicitor-General or
Director of public prosecutions of the federation or of a state;
and
(b) Such offices in the public service of the federation or a state as
the Attorney-General of the federation or of the state, as the
case may be.
OBJECTIVES OF SYSTEM:
The objectives include:
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o The legal practitioner application system is a research and
learning application system, in that lawyers and judges
studying about cases on-line.
o The maintenance of a respectful attitude toward the court is
been made.
o Making references on different cases by some judges and
lawyers, considering the fact-finding information displayed
on a related cases on web.
o The situations where cases are adjourned are made known to
the public who are interested on those involved in the case
through on-line system information.
o Judgment is being concluded or made available to other
practitioners on-line, either in favour or against, depending
on the crime committed.
However, the program goes further to do all this:-
(i) Updating data very fast without requiring much effort.
(ii) Physical security of data as well as prevention from
unauthorized access of information is improved.
(iii) Capability of being operated over a long time without
corruption.
(iv) Fast data capturing and processing of data for all
networks or from a workstation to a remote station.
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(v) However, the system must be interactive and user
friendly.
(vi) To allow direct entry of data as they are being imputed.
(vii) The on-line legal practitioner application system will
produce computer accurate information that can be used
for decision-making or for future references.
1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study focuses on creating an online web based legal
practitioner application system; through this medium the exhausting
use of manual procedures in documenting court activities are
overhauled creating a more accurate and time saving system of
documentation, and making the activities of the court easily
accessible.
For instance; the judgment of cases entered into the
application can be viewed or consulted upon by a legal practitioner
before preparing for a similar case.
1.4 LIMITATIONS
The system is a supposed to be more like a legal database,
hence the major constraints was time. The system requires much
time to build huge database of cases which legal practitioners can
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make reference to. The system is a complex one hence it requires
proper training on how to use it effectively.
High speed Internet is another limitation. For proper
implementation of this work, a high speed internet broadband is
needed.
1.5 DEFINITION OF TERMS
The Council: This is established by the legal education, and is
responsible for the legal education of persons seeking to become
members of the legal profession.
The Chief Justice: He is to authorize a person whose name is not on
the roll, on payment to the Chief Registrar of the supreme court of
such fee not exceeding 50 naira as may be specified in the warrant.
A Barrister: His purpose is to specify proceedings and of any
appeal brought in connection with those proceedings.
The Disciplinary Committee: They consider and determines any
case once it is alleged that a person whose name is on the roll of
legal practitioner has misbehaved in his capacity as a legal
practitioner or should for any other reason be the subject of
proceedings.
Appeal Committee: Hears appeals from any direction given by the
disciplinary committee.
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General Council of the Bar: Prepares and from time to time,
revising a statement as to the kind of conduct it considers to be
infamous conduct in a professional respect.
A Lawyer: A lawyer maintains a respectful attitude towards the
court. He is trained and qualified to advice people about the law
and represent them in a court of law.
The Judiciary: He settles and decides controversies between the
citizens inter se and between the state and the citizens.
The Nigerian Courts: Are the supreme court of Nigeria, the court of
Appeal, (and of recent a constitutional court); the federal High
Court, a High Court of a state, a sharia Court of Appeals of a state;
a customary court of Appeal of a state and such court as may be
authorized by law to exercise jurisdiction on matters with respect to
which the National Assembly or State House of Assembly (as the
case may be) are authorized to make laws. A law court is a
statutory place for proper interpretation of law to resolve disputes
and conflict.
Judges: They should indeed move in the direction of the
jurisprudence of welfare and adopt a judicial approach that
identifies the political, social and economic problems facing the
country and using the law to provide solutions to these problems.
They lead in the proceedings. He has the authority to decide on
offenders.
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Litigation: This is a process of making or defending a claim in a
court of law.
Appellant: Is one who takes a case to the court. He is the
complainant.
Respondent: This is one who is defending in a claim; he is
responding to the complaint.
Case list: These are scheduling of cases to be heard by the court on
the following day.
Appeal: This can be a formal request to a court of law for a
judgment to be passed on an issue.
Motion: In a court, it is application to a court or judge for a ruling
or order.
Proceedings: This is an activity carried in a law court in a bid to
settle a dispute.
The Registrar: This is a person in the law court that makes entries
in the file i.e. what happens in the court each day. He signs as the
commissioner of oats, compile record or appeals, and access
documents and certify them.
Clerk: This can be a person in the court who is in charge of the
records of the court.
Court Bailiff: This is a person in the court that serves processes like
messengers.
Case Book: Is a book where all cases are recorded, details of each
case like names of parties involved in the case, case number
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(charge number), the name of the high court where the case came
from, etc. are recorded in this book-including writ of summon.
Writ of Summon: Is like a form of details of the names of the
litigants, the case number etc. it is served to the defendant letting
him to know that he has a case and asking him to enter for an
appearance.
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CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
This is considering the fact that, the on-line legal practitioner
information was really difficult to enco-operate. However, with the
modern technology, it has being made to be easy and
understandable for users and those concerned. Since computer and
communication has made this world a global village, legal
practitioner information system becomes very important not to
practitioners alone but to every user that wants to get legal
information.
However, we have gone far and beyond to enco-operate a lot
of information for practitioners depending on the type of
information needed, like the latest case in town, the appellant, the
respondent, who the case judged, who is the magistrate, where the
case was adjourned to and other information needed.
Possibilities of taking the law court procedures has being unidirectionally
viewed by people. Michael R. Arkfeld, in his write-up “On-line
Technology tools for litigation and the law officer why use them and what
are they?” Is of the view that it is not what the practice of law entails, that
it does not measure of a lawyer but often times measure how much paper
he or she has shuffled. He tried to proffer a solution to the situation by
stating that, “The only viable solution to these problems is to control your
case information using the combination of papers and on-line (digital)
information management technology. Digital controlling case
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information means converting papers and other analysis information into
a digital format and using computers to store, access, retrieve, organize,
print and send this information easily and instantaneously in effect
creating on-line digital electronic trial note book.
Palmer Dick, in his own contributions says that on-line case management
systems perform simple and repetitive tasks faster with greater accuracy
at a lower cost than doing it manually. He continues that on-line case
management system will maintain a schedule of trials, assign judges,
attorneys and witnesses for the case and even date for which the trials are
scheduled. It will aid in excellent on-line court management controls
simplify storage and retrieval of the date essential for daily on-line court
operation. He ended saying that likely impacts of automating on-line
management could be summarised thus;
(i) The filling process will be made easier on-line.
(ii) The advocate/litigants need not wait for a long time in the
queue – will be eradicated by using the on-line method.
(iii) The amount collected towards court fee in a day will
automatically be calculated thus saving time of court official.
(iv) Filming process will be orderly and globally viewed.
(v) The on-line system saves time and efforts of advocates and
court officials.
There is no doubt that the on-line automation of the law court
scheduling system will be beneficial to the legal profession, even in
the area of cost, it will be drastically reduced considering that the
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use of tools such as pen, file folders, file cabinets, paper, legal pads
and notebooks that are used to manage. Case materials will be
reduced and even the use of some of them will be stopped.
Barrister Nwaonye of world legal practitioner, Nigeria, in his
own view affirms that this on-line automation is what every lawyer
really needs, even in this time when the number of cases is
increasing and lawyers now have a lot of work in their hands. He
even said that this will improve the services that are being rendered
to the clients i.e. the litigants. In line with this, Barrister Mrs.
Anyamulu of the court of appeal Enugu maintains that introducing
on-line management of cases would really be a very big relief
especially to them that are lawyers. She went to say that this will
increase the efficiency of lawyers in their duties and actually make
them to always want to give quality service to their clients. Even to
the registrars, he said that the work in the law court would be eased
off. This is because the introduction of on-line legal practitioner
information system would make the size of their work to be
reduced and also the number of papers they handle even in a day
will be reduced. Finally, Barrister Mrs. Anyamulu said that even
for the court clerks who are concerned with taking charge of
records, that their work will be reduced i.e. because of the fact that
records will now be kept very safely in on-line information system,
where they will be protected from harm and then there would be
ease in handling them.
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All the benefits that are being anticipated from the on-line
court proceedings and information system is possible because of
what the computer can be used to do while on-line. This on-line
just like Mr. Ugwu Oliver said in his book “Management
Information System” is
(i) Information can be transferred within a second.
(ii) We can store large amount of information and handle large
amount of work.
(iii) On-line information system has proved beyond every
reasonable doubt that it is very reliable and to be even in the
anticipated capabilities.
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CHAPTER THREE
DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF EXISTING SYSTEM
On-line legal practitioner’s information system is being
incorporated for its flexibility. However, our case study is particularly on
Appeal Court. In that we realise that in appeal court they do not handle
fresh case; rather a case that has been judged that the appellant felt he or
she is not satisfied with the case in the High Court. The Court of Appeal
hear appeal both in civil and criminal cases from other higher courts,
criminal cases are cases from the police to the court while the civil cases
are cases between a client and the government.
In the Appeal Court of Enugu, there can be ten (10) cases to be
heard in every sitting from Monday – Thursday from 9.00am in which
two of the cases are appealed and eight are motions. In all, three weeks in
the month are used for sitting while the remaining one week is used for
conference week. Cases are only heard if the parties are present and if not
it is postponed till some other time.
The current method of operation in the court of appeal daily
scheduling system is basically digital but not on-line. This requires the
complex involvement of too many data not to be processed by different
individuals when a client (Appellant) brings a case to the court, the court
clerk opens a case file for it and a case number is given, the appellant then
pays a particular fee to the court. This case is then registered by the
registrar in the system database containing the name of the parties writ of
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summon, details of the case. After which a suitable data will then be
fixed for hearing of the case in the court.
The court bailiff then takes a writ of summon to the respondent
who then acknowledges it to show that it has been served.
On the day of hearing, there will be five (5) judges there with one
of the presiding judge, lawyer, Registrar, mace bearer, senior Advocate (if
there is any involved), the litigants, etc. The presiding judge calls a case
by its suite numbers only if there is no senior Advocate with a case. The
Lawyers/Appellant then comes up for their case to be heard. At the end
of the sitting, the judges record what has happened in the court that day in
the system database, the registrar also make entries in file what has
happened in court on that day. After hearing if the case is to be
adjourned, the judge will say so and then fix a date for the next hearing
and if judgment is to be passed, the presiding judge also fix a date for the
judgment.
3.1 FACT FINDING METHOD
Considering the fact that on-line legal practitioner
information system was really successful, I was able to realise my
goal with some method of fact findings technique used in gathering
information about the activities taking place in the Appeal Court
was mainly by interview and observation method.
INTERVIEW METHOD
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This is a face-to-face talk in which questions were being
asked and answered immediately. The writers interviewed the
Appeal Court staff more especially those working at the litigation
section. The plans for the future all co-operated and gave useful
information to the researchers.
OBSERVATION METHOD
In this method, you observe things done with your eyes. The
writers were able to observe some of the dealings in court. The
information gathered in all is summarised this;
(i) The appellant has to file a case for there to be a hearing and
the respondent must be informed.
(ii) Each case must have a suite numbers.
(iii) The Appeal Court is a conducive place for the person who is
aggrieved and needs justice to be done.
(iv) There can be ten (10) cases in every sitting, which is made
up of two appeals and eight motions.
(v) At the end of each proceeding, it must be registered in the
record book by the registrar.
(vi) Due to the manual system used, too many files are opened
for each case.
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3.2 BACKGROUND OF CASE STUDY
The Court of Appeal is the second highest in Nigeria. It is
next to Supreme Court. It was formed in 1976 and called federal
Court of Appeal then. The Enabling Act establishing the court is
referred to as Federal Court of Appeal Act 1976, which came into
effect in 1st October 1976. Initially, the number of justices of the
Court plus the president of the court was fixed at 36. In the order
of judicial precedence, the president shall rank equal to the justice
of Supreme Court and the other justice of the court shall rank next
to the justice of Supreme Court. The court started with 3 judicial
divisions of Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu followed by additional
division later at Ibadan, and Benin in June 1977. Port Harcourt
stated in July 1989, Jos in January 1982, Abuja in 1996, Calabar
and Ilorin in 1999 (February, of which is the 10 as of today. The
number of justices was fixed at 36 (Act No. 43 1976) in 1976, by
the amendment in 95 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. The
number increased to 41, 1993 a further amendment raised it to 50;
section 237 retained it at 50. Both in civil and criminal cases from
Federal High Court of State, Court of Appeal hear appeals. The
Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja, the Sharia Court of
Appeal of state, including Abuja code of conduct tribunal as well as
election tribunal, particularly with regards to the National
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Assembly Election tribunals, the legislature and governorship
houses election tribunal.
A presiding judge is in charge of operations and day-to-day
management of the division in each of the 10 divisions. They have
a deputy chief registrar who is in charge of the administration of the
division who serves as the accounting officer. There is a registry of
filing, papers in each division relating to appeals and other matters
that requires the determination of the court. There is the
department of general administration, the finance and library
sections. A senior officer; who supervises the operation of the
section, heads each of the sections and reports to the Deputy Chief
Registrar who in turn keeps the presiding judge informed of the day
to day goings in the division.
There is the office of the president of the court at the head
quarter. All presiding justice report to the president and keep him
informed of the goings in their divisions at the headquarters. There
is also the office of the chief registrar who is the accounting officer
of the court. He relates with the deputy registrars of the divisions
who reports to him and he in turn reports to the president. At the
Headquarter, there are Head of Department, which includes
finance, and supplies, administration Audit and Library. These
heads of Department; report directly to the registrar.
This research work, focus on the court of Appeal Enugu,
located at industrial layout, P. M. B. 1416, Enugu. Court of Appeal
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refers to court of unity, where you find learned judges coming from
different backgrounds and cultures working together in harmony in
the promotion of administration of justice in the country.
3.3 OBJECTIVES OF EXISTING SYSTEM
This Existing system of the Appeal has some set of functions
to achieve, which was established to cater for the following areas.
(i) Resolving disputes between two or more people.
(ii) It helps to interpret the law to the people after the senate has
created it.
(iii) It is a place of unity.
(iv) It promotes the administration of justice in a country.
3.4 INPUT, PROCESS, OUTPUT ANALYSIS
This system is designed to be scalar time interpretative
process; accepted inputs are processed by the system to produce
outputs through the set instruction.
INPUT ANALYSIS
The input makes processing very successful. The input
required for processing in the court includes: Appellant
information, case file, court information judgment.
INPUT ELEMENT
APPELLANT INFORMATION
Name: XXXX
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Occupation: XXXX
Address: XXXX
Medical Report: XXXX
Case Reported: XXXX
Name of Defaulter: XXXX
CASE FILE
Name of parties: XXXX
Charge/case summon: XXXX
Writ of involved: XXXX
Property involved: XXXX
Detail of the case: XXXX
Location of Occurrence: XXXX
Date: XXXX
PROCESS ANALYSIS
Actions are carried out on the various inputs highlighted in
the input analysis. The process analysis looks at the different
processing operations on the input, which includes;
Appellant information: This contains information gotten from
the client to enable them process the case.
Case file: It contains information about the parties involved in
the case and how information can reach the other party.
Court Information: It contains information of the parties and
those that will be present in court.
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Judgment: It contains information on what happened in court
and the verdict reached in the court.
OUTPUT ANALYSIS
The output analysis from the input serves as an easy access to
things done in court. The Appellant information helps one to know
who came in with the case. The case file enables the court to know
the parties involved and when the case will be heard. The court
information shows those to be present on the day of hearing. The
judgment is to enable one to know the result of the case.
OUTPUT ELEMENTS FOR OUTPUT ANALYSIS
The output elements for analysing the output consist of the
following:
COURT INFORMATION
Litigant Names: XXXX
Date: XXXX
Location of occurrence: XXXX
Case Number: XXXX
Lawyers’ Name: XXXX
Judges Name: XXXX
JUDGMENT
Litigation Names: XXXX
Date: XXXX
Judges: XXXX
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APPELLANT
TAKES CASE TO COURT
CLERK
Open files for cases
REGISTRAR
Register case in a cause book
COURT BAILIFF
WRIT OF SUMMON
Lawyers: XXXX
Date Adjourned: XXXX
Judgment Reached: XXXX
3.5 INFORMATION FLOW DIAGRAM
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3.6 PROBLEM OF EXISTING SYSTEM
The analysis of the existing systems really has exposed some
problems in the law court.
This system has not really lived up to expectants in the
following ways.
TIME CONSUMING
Due to the manual preparation and controlling of a case for
litigation or for other legal purposes, so many tools like pens, legal
pads, file folders and notebooks have been used to manage case
materials. Other things delay proceedings and justice, and time
spent in typing documents to be used. It takes time to gather all the
necessary papers and files to be sited in the court when a case is
called up, which means that, cases that were to last for a year ends
up in two to three years. Therefore, it does not allow many to be
heard in a day.
EXPENSIVE
This is expensive, since many tools like paper, pen, file
cabinets, legal pads etc. are needed in preparing for a case. Some
paper work may not be needed at the end of the day, thereby
wasting resources. Many files are opened of which may not be
needed again and may be thrown aside.
INFORMATION HANDLING
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Manually controlling papers is drudgery and it is not what
the practice of law is all about it does not measure the “worth” of a
lawyer but often times measure how much paper he/she has
shuffled. To spend more time analysing information and less time
looking for it, the goal should be. However, it is getting more
difficult analysing information, since so much information has to be
generated manually each day including papers and other
documents. This result in loss of vital information needed for a
case, the delay of justice to be carried out and also the number of
cases to be handled in a day.
IMPROPER FILING
This process of filling is not orderly and it makes information
supplied difficult to know where a particular file is at all times and
being able to access information instantly is a problem. All this
results in justice delay.
CALCULATION OF COURT FEE
The appeal court has to make returns to the high court and in
doing this due to so many paper work involved, it makes it very
difficult to be able to calculate the fee collected.
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3.7 JUSTIFICATION FOR A NEW SYSTEM
The need for a new system came up after studying the
existing system, realising its lapses and the problems encountered
in its processing. However, the online legal practitioner
information system will help to rectify most of this problems and
improve in the method of accessing the information stored and the
distribution online so that at all point in the global village,
information can be reached. The new system will achieve the
following:-
i) Reliability :- The system online will be more reliable in the
sense that it will be able to handle large volume of data without
mudding of data and data loss. This system will be consistent
in terms of information supplied, if the same request is made
several times.
ii) Efficiency : The online system will be more efficient in terms of
processing and output of information, the output will be
accurate, time conscious, comprehensive, less expensive and
legible.
iii) Practicability : The online system will have ability of working
for a long period of time without breaking down and also
competent personnel will be employed to operate the system.
iv) Security : The online legal practitioner information system will
allow only authorised persons to have access to information in
files. This will guard against intruders that may want to steal
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some vital information pr documents out. This will be
accomplished with the use of a password.
v) Update : Information can be updated from any part of the globe
as long as it is networked to all appeal court.
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CHAPTER FOUR
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
The design of the new system was due to the fact that the
committee agreed on the design of an online legal practitioner, due to the
cumbersome method of evaluating the digital and manual system of court
information.
The online legal practitioner system is designed to accept an
expected input and output that will be worked upon. The purpose of this
design is to produce specification that will enable a complete and accurate
implementation of Network information from different system all over the
country without going back to design for more information.
Online Legal information system has put to an end the under listed
problems associated with manual system.
Lack of document distribution
Accessibility of record
Poor communication
High cost of production
Time consuming
Court fee calculation
However, the online legal practice system is precised and easily
understandable, because it adopt a modular programming
system which means the program are in modules and can easily
be troubleshot or debugged with the program codes.
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4.1 OUTPUT SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN
The output specification of the on-line legal practitioner is
subdivided into five specifications. These output specifications are
as follows:
(1) The report about respondent: - This was developed with a grid.
The report that is captured details about those involved in the
case which are:- However, it is under litigation report>
The serial number
The name of the respondent
The case number of the respondent
The occupation of the respondent
The medical report of the respondent
The address of the respondent
The properties involved
The detail of case.
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THE RESPONDENT REPORT
S/No Case No. Occupation Med.
Rep
Address Prop.
Involved
Detail
of case
Date of
Resp.
1 9999 Occupation Med.
Rep
9999 9999 9999 9999
2 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999
(2) The Report about Appellant:- this displays information in a
grid form about the appellant which are:-
The serial number of the appellant
The name of the appellant
The case number of the appellant
The occupation of the appellant
The medical report
The address of the appellant
The properties involved
The date of appeal.
THE APPELLANT REPORT
S/No Name Case
No.
Occupation Med.
Report
Address Prop.
Invol.
Date of
Appeal
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1 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999
2 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999
(3) Case Report: this enables the user to view information about
the court case. And those involved:
The serial number
The name of appellant
The case number
The location of occurrence
The date of hearing
The judge
The lawyer
The date of adjourned to
The judgment
THE CASE REPORT
S/No Appeal
Name
Resp.
Name
Case
No.
Loc of
Occur
Date of
Hearing
Judg
e
Lawyer Date of
Adjourn
Judgment
1 Name Name 9999 Locat. dd/mm/yy Nam
e
Name dd/mm/
yy
Judgemen
t
2 Name Name 9999 Locat. dd/mm/yy Nam
e
Name dd/mm/
yy
Judgemen
t
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(4) Report of Judgment of case: - this returns field concerning the
hearing of the case and the judgment reached. This includes:-
The serial number of the judgment
The appellant name
The respondent name
The case number
The location of occurrence
The date of hearing
The judge
The lawyer
The date adjourn
The judgment reached.
THE JUDGMENT REPORT
S/No Case No. Location of
occurrence
Date of
hearing
Judge Lawyer Date
Adjourned
Judgment
Reached
1 9999 Locat. dd/
mm/yy
Name Name dd/mm/yy Judgement
2 9999 Locat. dd/
mm/yy
Name Name dd/mm/yy Judgement
(5) The Adjourned case: This is the returns field concerning the
hearing of the case and the judgment reached. It enables the
user to view information about the adjourned case. This
includes:-
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The serial number
The Appellant name
The Respondent name
The case number
The date adjourned
The date of hearing
The judge
The lawyer
THE ADJOURNED CASE REPORT
S/No Appeal
name
Respondent
name
Case
No
Date
Adjourned
Date of
hearing
Judge Lawyer Detail
of case
1 Name Name 9999 dd/mm/yy dd/
mm/yy
Name Name Info.
2 Name Name 9999 dd/mm/yy dd/
mm/yy
Name Name Info.
4.2 INPUT SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN
The input specification and Design consist of the litigant of
on-line legal practitioner, which is the (appellant and the
respondent) information field and details to be kept in the case
record.
(1) The respondent entry, which are:-
The name of Respondent
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The case number
The occupation
The medical report
The address
The property involved
The detail of case
The date of respondent entry
(2) The Appellant entry are
The name of the Appellant
The case number
The occupation
The medical report
The address
The property involved
The detail of case
The date of appellant
(3) The Case Entry
The name of respondent
The name of appellant
The case number
The location of occurrence
The date of hearing
The judge
The lawyer
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The date adjourned to
The judgment
(4) The Judge Data Entry:-
The name of respondent
The name of appellant
The case number
The location of occurrence
The date of hearing
The judge
The lawyer
The date
The judgment reached.
(5) The Adjourn Case Data Entry
The name of respondent
The name of appellant
The case number
The detail of case
The Lawyer
The Judge
The Date Adjourned
Date of hearing
(6) Password change: this is only for system Administrators
INPUT MEDIA
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The keyboard consoles are the method of entering data into
the input specification for input entry on on-line legal practitioner
information system. Data required during the process of the online
legal practitioner information system are entered through the
keyboard console. The information processed Data records are
stored in the data based under the control of system administrator.
4.3 FILE DESIGN
In order that computer may carry out the operation
enumerated efficiently, file would be created according to the
topics available. This section deals with how these files are to be
organized and accessed. A file can easily be defined as a group of
related records organized for a particular purpose.
Design: Can easily be said to be the process of depending on the
technically operational specification of a system for
implementation. This section describes all input data base files and
the program files.
File name: Case file
The variables that are found in this case file when attended work
has been done to be published in the online legal practitioners
information where by each attendant secured in a password. So the
variables are field, field type, field name, field length as shown
below.
Field Type Field name Length
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Name of
respondent
Character Name Resp I 20
Name of
Appellant
Character Name Appeal I 20
Case Number Integer Case No 7
Location of
occurrence
Character Loc of occur I 15
Date of
Hearing
Date Date of
Hearing
10
Judge Character Judge I 15
Lawyer Character Lawyer I 15
Date
Adjourned to
Date Dat of Adj I 10
Judgment Character Judgment 50
FILE NAME: JUDGMENT FILE
The judgment file contains information about the outcome of the case.
The variables involved are as showed in the diagram below as the file
description.
Field Field type Field name Length
The name of
Respondent
Character Name Resp 2 20
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Name of
Appellant
Character Name appeal 2 20
Case number Integer Case No 7
Location of
occurrence
Character Loc of occur 2 15
Date of hearing Date Date of hearing
2
10
Judge Character Judge 2 15
Lawyer Character Lawyer 2 15
Date Date Date 10
Judgment
Reached
Character Judgment
Reached
20
FILE NAME: Adjourned Case file
These are cases that were adjourned to a later date which has variables as
shown in the file description below:
Field Field type Field name Length
Name of
Respondent
Character Name Resp 20
Name of
Appellant
Character Name appeal 20
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Case number Integer Case No 7
Detail of case Character Det of case Memo
Lawyer Character Lawyer 15
Judge Character Judge 15
Date Adjourned Date Dat Adjoun 10
Date of hearing Date Date of Hear 10
5.1 PROGRAM DESIGN
This program is divided into modules that handle the
essential unique operations that is to say that no two modules are
the same in task execution; some of these modules are main
modules, input modules, output module, login module, registration
modules and operation module.
The main modules:- It is not a program, but a module that is link to
other subordinate modules which are the input, the output and
operation modules.
File Creation Module: This section takes care of the topic coded in
the program. Long time module is the one that takes care of the
daily operations applied in the legal practitioner’s information
system.
Input Module:- This takes care of the daily activities that were
executed; individual basics which are the appellant modules,
respondent modules, case modules, the adjourned case modules, the
lawyer modules and the magistrate modules all is contributed to the
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LOG IN
IS PASS WORD CORRECT
REGISTRATION
IS ID CORRECT
DISPLAY BROWSERS FORM MAIN MENU
START
USE YOUR ID
YOU WANT TO READ LEGAL NEWS
DISPLAY OF LEGAL NEWS
YESNO
NO
daily activities on the input modules. A useful tool which aided in
the evolution of workable program is the flow chart from which the
program was coded and upon which the program is based as
illustrated below:-
5.2 PROGRAM FLOW CHART
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SELECT OPTIONOPTION A = FILEOPTION B = DATE OTHER OPTION C = OPERATIONOPTION D = REPORTOPTION E = WINDOWOPTION F = HELP
IS OPTION A?
IS OPTION B?
A
YES
YES
NO
IS OPTION C?
NO
IS OPTION D?
NO
IS OPTION E?
NO
IS OPTION F?
NO
STOP
B
YES C
D
E
F
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A
SELECT OPTION
OPTION 1 = OPENOPTION 2 = EXIT
IS OPTION 1?
IS OPTION 2?
RETURN
DISPLAY THE OPEN DIALOGUE WINDOW
EXIT THE PROGRAM
YES
YES
xlv
B
SELECT OPTIONOPTION 1 = LITIGATIONOPTION 2 = CASEOPTION 3 = JUDGMENTOPTION 4 = ADJOURNEDOPTION 5 = CHANGE PASSWORD
IS OPTION 1?
IS OPTION 2?
IS OPTION 3?
IS OPTION 4?
IS OPTION 5?
RETURN
SELECT OPTIONSOPTION 6 = APPELLANTOPTION 7 = RESPONDENT
IS OPTION 6?
IS OPTION 7?
DISPLAY APPELLANT FORM
DISPLAY RESPONDENT FORM
RETURN
DISPLAY THE CASE FORM FOR INPUT
DISPLAY THE JUDGMENT FORM
DISPLAY THE ADJOURNED CASE FORM
DISPLAY THE CHANGE PASSWORD FORM
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
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C
SELECT OPTIONOPTION 1 = SEARCHOPTION 2 = DELETE RECORDOPTION 3 = BACK UP
IS OPTION 1?
IS OPTION 2?
IS OPTION 3?
RETURN
SEARCH FOR RECORD AND SHOW IT
SEARCH FOR RECORD AND SHOW IT
SEARCH FOR RECORD AND SHOW IT
NO
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
xlvii
DISPLAY REPORT ABOUT LITIGATION
D
SELECT OPTIONOPTION 1 = LITIGATIONOPTION 2 = CASEOPTION 3 = JUDGMENTOPTION 4 = ADJOURNED
IS OPTION 1?
IS OPTION 2?
IS OPTION 3?
IS OPTION 4?
RETURN
DISPLAY REPORT ABOUT LITIGATION
DISPLAY REPORT ABOUT LITIGATION
DISPLAY REPORT ABOUT LITIGATION
NO
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
xlviii
E
SELECTION OPTIONOPTION 1 = ARRANGE ICONOPTION 2 = CASCADEOPTION 3 = TITLE HORIZONTALLYOPTION 4 = TITLE VERTICALLY
IS OPTION 1?
IS OPTION 2?
IS OPTION 3?
IS OPTION 4?
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
NO
NO
NO
ARRANGE THE ICONS
ARRANGE THE WINDOWS IN A CASCADE FORM
ARRANGE MULTIPLE WINDOWS IN A TITLE HORIZONTAL FORM
VERTICALLY ARRANGE THE WINDOWS IN TILES
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F
SELECT OPTIONOPTION 1 = ABOUT THE AUTHOROPTION 2 = HOW TO …OPTION 3 = SYSTEM INFORMATION
IS OPTION 1?
IS OPTION 2?
IS OPTION 3?
RETURN
DISPLAY INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPLICATION AND THE AUTHOR
DISPLAY HELP INFORMATION IN A TREE FORMAT
DISPLAY INFORMATION ABOUT THE SYSTEM AND CONFIGURATION
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
l
Appellant Arrives in court
Court clerk opens a case file
The Registrar register the case
A Court bailiff takes a writ of summon to the respondent
The respondent acknowledges the receipt of the writ of summon
The court gathers information and fix date of hearing.
Litigants appearance in court
Judgment reached or case adjourned
4.4 PROCEDURE CHART
This involves the method and manner in which information
is processed from the appellant day of arriving in the court to the
judgment reached or case adjourned, which involved the simple
procedure in a chart form shown below.
li
4.5 SYSTEM REQUIREMENT
The online legal practitioner information system, for good
and better processing and reliability of its effectiveness, certain
hardware requirement are needed which are:
Hardware requirement: - A standard computer and other
peripheral devices that can be connected to its system
unit, due considerations should be given to the hardware
requirement is the basics that the software will operate in
the specification.
(1) The Hardware component involves:
A hard disk of 1.2 Gig and above strong capacity
A CPU with 66 MHz and above processor speed.
101 keyboard.
An SvGA color display unit
Network interface card.
And must be networked
(2) The software which helps to coordinate the activities of solving
problems at hand should be able to interact with a suitable
operating system which should be best known to the analyst.
This includes:
Suitable operating system like window ax and NT.
Visual Basic 6.0 version and above.
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(3) The site for installation is also an important factor to be
considered that is where the system will be secured or protected.
Such site should be prepared for a proper functioning of the
system. There should be good electrification in the site because
the new system cannot work without this.
(4) Environmental Requirement:- The environment required for the
new system will include:-
A big room
Wall to wall rugging
Fully air-conditioned
Fluorescent bulbs
Fire extinguishers
Uninterrupted power supply (UPS)
System dust coats
Plastic disk packs
etc.
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IMPLEMENTATION
After the design of the various input and output forms and file
layout specifications, it is necessary to program and implement the new
system with an appropriate programming language. In this case, I
consider the process involved in programming, which is the program
testing and implementation.
The online legal practitioner application system is one in which a
web based application is built where cases are registered online by
entering a new case in the “Register new case” section which includes the
case number, the case title, the prosecutor and the respondents involved in
the case, the date which the case is filed, the date set aside for hearing of
the case and the judge presiding over the case.
When the case has been concluded the results of the case is keyed
into the “Enter final judgment” section where the case number, the case
title, the prosecutor and respondent, the date for filing the case and the
date of the delivered judgment and the judgment that was reached with the
presiding judge name are all entered.
Anyone who has access to the online legal practitioner application system
can view the cases and the judgment reached on the respective cases
online.
5.3 TEST RUN
The program codes have been tested and confirmed reliable
by a group of software development, which gives me this
liv
confidence of achieving this legal practitioner on the program
(project)
However, after coding the program, it is of great important to
test the program with sample data having a predetermined output.
The output from the system is then compared with the
predetermined manual layout to see if there is any discrepancy
between them. It is also necessary to use erroneous data to test
program to ensure that the error routine and data verification
procedures are working effectively. All this been tested and
confirmed reliably.
lv
CHAPTER SIX
DOCUMENTATION
This documentation is given a detailed report of all the information
necessary to provide the user with the understanding of the purpose and
how to use the designed program on system as to achieve its objectives.
This helps in carrying out further research and improvement on the
system. And also information about the new system and its working
procedure are outlined so that modification can be done in the system
without studying the entire system. In view of this, the documentation of
this project is done in two sections namely.
Identification
User information
The identification entails the title of the project and course
statement of its function.
Program ID: Online legal practitioner application system
Authors: Immaculater
Purpose: To organize and manipulate information in legal
practitioner application system
Date Written: August, 2016
Program language: VB 6.0 (Visual Basic 6.0)
Operating system support: Windows o/s (Windows 7, Windows
8, Windows 10).
User information
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The program is menu driven; the menu has options that guide
users on every step. To run this program effectively the
following steps are to be followed.
To start the program:
Boot the computer to window
At the windows, click the < start > icon, select run.
Browse and select the drive where the executable is
Click ok command button to begin the program.
The program will start automatically. Here, you are required
to login correctly before you are taken to the working
environment. The password is checked i.e. verified to check if
it is correct, before access is allowed.
The user guide or help file that explains the functions of each
menu command is incorporated into the software. This serves
as a guide for both illiterate and literate users.
DOCUMENTATION OF ONLINE LEGAL
PRACTITIONER APPLICATION SYSTEM IN A HARD
DISK
The most present and best method of documentation of online
legal system in a hard disk has a lot of space but depending on
the size of the hard disk but not with standing as long as it has
at least 400 MB space, you can document your online legal
lvii
practitioner application system. It is just by making sure that
the hard disk is large enough and save.
lviii
CHAPTER FIVE
7.1 CONCLUSION
Having come to the end of this work, it has been necessary to
access the writers overall view or the daily scheduling of a legal
practitioner which is practiced in courts but also covers law
teaching, law research, administration in different branches where
law pays a role and in fact, commercial and industrial employments
and all other activities which postulate and requires the use of legal
knowledge and skill and which adopt legal process also fall within
its scope.
Looking at the legal profession, the judges, lawyers,
registrars, etc. They really pass through a lot of training and spend
so many years in the training. They therefore do not need
something that will really stress them like the struggle to handle
large papers and other materials that are used in manual control of a
case for litigation. If the section responsible for the processing of
information and materials is adequately taken care of, there would
not have been work load in the section.
No legal practitioner can function without the processing of
its materials and this is done in the section. Therefore everything
humanly possible should be done to keep this section afloat and
alive.
lix
RECOMMENDATION
The recommendation of this study springs up basically from the
outlined benefits that are achievable through the use of online system.
The author recommends that every organization should embark on online
system, especially; information and services oriented organization, as it
will help to reduce the obstacle impending the legal practitioner services.
In this case the government should implement recommendation of
the committee by passing the Legal Education Act 1962 and the Legal
Practitioners Act 1962. The Legal Education Act 1962 provided for
Legal Education in Nigeria. The Act established a council known as the
council of legal Education charged with responsibility for the legal
education of persons seeking to become members of the profession. The
council established in 1962 a law school then known as the Federal Law
School and later known as the Nigeria Law School, a school, which offers
a professional course lasting one academic year.
Finally, the author sincerely wishes to recommend the continuation
of this project work by the incoming students who are going to embark on
this project topic. This work is worthwhile and profitable to be applied.
Though the new system might be expensive due to the cost of acquiring
the system needed, technical legal knowledge through net, and overall
cost of implementing the online system information. All advantages of
use of information system are embedded, this leading to the more
effective and efficient services. In view of above, I wish to recommend
that the law court, having a higher appreciation of what the online
lx
information system is capable of should start a campaign to enlighten the
young student lawyers on how this research work can contribute to the
success in future, through this online legal practitioner website, which act
as a library to the legal practitioner.
However, it is not only for the lawyers or the honourable
gentlemen, but also for every citizen who is interested on how cases were
justified and order necessary information about any case, lawyers,
magistrate and even adjourned cases.
lxi
REFERENCES
Library of Congress. Website.
Nigeria Court of Appeal. www.court of Appeal. NG
Registrar (Litigation), Court of Appeal, Enugu (June, 2003)
Allison Sonntag. Chief Deputy Clerk Kitsap County Washington):
Washington Saves Million by Automating its Court Scheduling.
Michael, R. Arkfeld (esqa0: Technology tools for litigation and the law
office; why use them and what are they.
Barrister Nwonye B. U.
Law, Justice and Nigerian Society. Essays in Honour of Hon. Justice
Mohammed Bello – Edited by I. A. Ayua.
The Nigerian Legal System.
Akintunde Olusegun Obilade. L. L. B. (Hons) (Lagos), L. L. M.
(Harvard),
Legal Practitioner, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Lagos.
lxii