Integrated Electronic Litigation System

eLitigation

Integrated Electronic Litigation System

Singapore Judiciary Electronic System

2nd Generation Filing

• Jan 2013, new electronic filing system launched on Supreme Court

1st Generation Filing

• Electronic Filing System (EFS)-implemented in March 2000.

Achievements of EFS

• End-to-end electronic filing system Industry- and nation-wide system

• Spearheading the use of IT in legal profession EFS coincided with LawNet, Government push for eServices &

Internet explosion

• Benefits to law practices 24/7 filing – 37% of documents filed after hours Inspection and extraction of documents

• Benefits to Judiciary Electronic registry system

• Workflow – managing hearings• Routing of case files – no more misplaced files• Storage & retrieval – e.g. cases not on hearing list

Lessons Learnt

• Evolving Internet standards Picked one digital certificate standard before adoption of open standard

by Internet community Resulted in digital certificate and Certification Authority system with

legacy and support issues• Display technology not ready (CRTs back then)

Prolonged viewing strains the eyes Smaller screen sizes limit the number of documents that can be viewed

at any one time• Decision not to review processes

Computerisation of paper-based workflows Failure to reap exponential gains in implementation of IT

• Digitisation of paper is inefficient More time spent preparing documents

• Scanning documents an additional work process More time spent filing

• Transmission slow

IELSAdvent of integrated Electronic Litigation System

Overall strategy

• Litigation process re-engineering Simplify and harmonise legal and administrative

processes to maximise efficiencies from computerisation

• Focus on People Upgrading skills and re-designing jobs to transition registry

staff to become Case Management Officers

Implementation of collaborative tools

• Technology refresh eforms technology to electronic filing and to enable the re-

use and syndication of party, case and hearing information

Use of RSS technology for the syndication of hearing lists and other case information

Modern workflow engine to automate processes

eLit –Conceptual Architecture

Interface

FE Users

Service Bureau

Law Firm

State Courts

Supreme

Court

Back-end

Cross Court Access

External Agencies

Front-end FE

Portal

Filing

Interface

External Agencies

File Exchange

File Exchange

SingPassAuthentication

Court Users

FE Function

e- Filinge- ServiceCase Information RepositoryCalendaringLaw Firm RegistrationNotification and Alerts

BE Function

Hearings & Calendaring Management

Workflow Management E-Hearing Management Case Management Finance Management Online Enquiry Management

FILING & SERVICE

4 Step E-Filing wizard

Step 1

Step 1: Case Info

This stage inputs the information pertaining to

•Case details•List of Parties•Questionnaires

Step 2Step 2: Form

The Form Page allows the user to perform the following functions relating to Court forms:

• Compose/pre-populate draft• Upload• Download• Add/Delete a Document

Step 3

Step 3: Admin Details

This stage provides the user with administrative information and input of the following details:

• Hearing Details• Urgent Indicator• Backdate Request• eService• Filing Fees and Waiver Details

Step 4

Step 4: Submission

The final stage allows the user to preview and print the details of the case before confirming it for submission.

Service of Documents

• File and Serve Allows filing party to make a request to file a document in

court and to serve it on opposing party with one-click

ONLINE CASE FILE

Case Information

Party Information

Documents

Hearing: History and Future

Billing Information

Online Case File

• Full access to case file for duration of case Online inspection of case file by non-party Extended on appeal

• Pack-N-Go Entire case file into a single PDF for off-line reading

• Generation of Bundles Set down, trial, record of proceeding, etc

• RSS feed of hearing dates• E-mail & SMS alerts

Beyond Electronic Filing

Towards Electronic Hearings

Strategy

• Provide infrastructure, not application Focus on equipping courtrooms with appropriate technology Tech Courts and Mobile Infotech Trolley Electronic signages and queue management Digital Transcription System Video conferencing

• Promote availability of soft copies of documents Local network download of case

documents after 14 days Pack-N-Go for lawyers Practice Direction on

Electronic Discovery

Technology in Court

• Different levels of technology equipping in court rooms

• Normal courtrooms Microphones for Digital

Transcription Service Wifi connection Powerpoints!

• Technology Courts Video conferencing Projector with 100" screen LCD panels at lawyers’ bar table

• Mobile Infotech Trolley

Digital Transcription Service

• Digital Transcription System (DTS): Integrated system to facilitate the digital audio recording of

court hearings and the preparation of transcripts

Available for all open court trials in actions begun by writs

The audio recording is, pursuant to O. 38A, r. 1 of the Rules of Court, the official record of hearing.

DTS is also available for some other open court proceedings, eg, criminal cases.

Implemented in 23 Courtrooms + 2 Large Chambers.

• Justice Online Videoconferencing: Web-based video

conferencing system

Lawyers can conduct court hearing from their offices

Used heavily for bankruptcy cases before the Registrar.

Justice Online

Electronic SignageDisplay panel outside hearing chambers

Electronic Queue ManagementDisplay panel in the lobby

Electronic Queue ManagementTaking a queue number at the kiosk

Dual ScreensMaking sure that everyone is on the same page

Dual ScreensPublic and private screens

Mega Court

Legislative Framework

• Registrar’s Circular No 1 of 2006: Electronic Hearing in Chambers before Registrar <http://app.supremecourt.gov.sg/data/doc/ManagePage/99/2006%20-

%201.pdf>• Order 63A, Rules of Court

Provides detailed rules that deal with, inter alia, timing of filing/service• Firstlink Energy Pte Ltd v Creanovate Pte Ltd [2006] SGHC 19• Hogberg Fred Rickard Robin William v Singapore Polo Club and Another [2007]

SGDC 265

• Electronic Transactions Act Provides legal framework for digital signatures Every submission is digitally signed Recent case law developments on electronic signatures

• Joseph Mathew and another v Singh Chiranjeev and another [2010] 1 SLR 338; [2009] SGCA 51

• SM Integrated Transware Pte Ltd v Schenker Singapore (Pte) Ltd [2005] 2 SLR(R) 651; [2005] SGHC 58

• Wee Soon Kim Anthony v Lim Chor Pee and another [2005] 4 SLR(R) 367; [2005] SGHC 159

FUTURE OF ELECTRONIC HEARINGS

• Practice Direction to promote use of technology during hearings Setting standards for use

of presentation slides and other presentation tools

Access to courtroom for preparation and familiarisation

• Use of Web 2.0 technologies Virtual pre-trial

conferences

Electronic Hearings


• Practice Direction 3 of 2009, with effect from 1 October 2009• Sets down practice for discovery and inspection of electronically

stored documents Electronic discovery protocol for general discovery Inspection protocol for forensic inspection of storage media and

recording devices• Encourage exchange of electronically stored documents in soft

copy Native format preferred Otherwise, list of reasonably

usable format• Policy objectives

Promote use of desktop search engines and document review tools

Benefits in preparation of witness affidavits and cross-examination


• Articles Discovery and Inspection of Electronically Stored Documents: A

Commentary on Practice Direction No 3 of 2009:• Part 1 <http://www.lawgazette.com.sg/2009-10/feature1.htm>• Part 2 <http://www.lawgazette.com.sg/2009-11/feature5.htm>

Recent developments in electronic discovery: Discovering electronic documents and discovering documents electronically

• <http://www.sal.org.sg/digitallibrary/Lists/SAL%20Journal/DispForm.aspx?ID=417>

• Case law Fermin Aldabe v Standard Chartered Bank [2009] SGHC 194 Alliance Management SA v Pendleton Lane P and another and

another suit [2008] 4 SLR(R) 1; [2008] SGHC 76 Alliance Management SA v Pendleton Lane P and another and

another suit [2007] 4 SLR(R) 343; [2007] SGHC 133

THANK YOU

http://www.elitigation.sg/GetReady/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Filing_System