ONLINE ACCESS TO COURT DOCUMENTS IS TO BEGIN FROM JULY 1.

Starting on July 1, pleadings and court documents can be viewed and processed online, according to Chief Justice Martha Koome's announcement. 

Speaking on Monday during the nationwide debut of e-filling in court stations, Koome stated that the goal of this is to support the environmentally friendly policies that the judiciary is adopting. 

 Therefore, as of July 1, 2024, no court should print pleadings or other papers. At the Supreme Court event, she gave instructions, "The funds that go toward the purchase of printing paper will be used to buy desktops and laptops."

 According to her, the e-filing system's worldwide adoption is a major step toward the judiciary's goal of becoming paperless and in line with its commitment to green justice. It also represents a technological achievement.

 The milestone, she said, is also a deliberate attempt to lessen the environmental impact of the industry.

 To emphasize, the CJ said that the Judiciary's commitment to environmentally conscious policies and sustainable practices is demonstrated by its decision to go paperless.

 "It exemplifies our broader commitment to a green justice agenda, wherein the Judiciary not only ensures the rule of law but also contributes to the protection of our planet," she continued.

 "Through e-filing, we are demonstrating that the pursuit of justice can go hand in hand with environmental sustainability, setting a precedent for eco-conscious practices in the public sector."

 Koome also gave the Directorate of ICT the task of refining document formatting to improve the Case Tracking System's user experience.

 According to her, the initiative's main goal should be to improve the platform's usability so that everyone can interact and navigate it more easily.

 She went on to say that the Judiciary will also be starting a three-month-long comprehensive re-orientation program.

 All judges, court employees, and officers will be the target of the same.

 "This program is designed to familiarise and ensure all persons working within the Judiciary are in a position to manage court processes through our online platforms," Koome stated.

 She exhorted all litigants, attorneys, and judicial officials to become familiar with the e-filing system and make the most of it.

 "By doing so, you will not only contribute to the improvement of our justice system but also reap the benefits of a more accessible, user-friendly, and efficient platform for the resolution of disputes," she said.

 Koome also mentioned the data tracking dashboard's launch, which is scheduled to be online on Tuesday, March 12.

 According to her, the dashboard extracts and analyzes important data from the Case Tracking System.

It enables the judiciary to keep track of how matters are handled by tribunals and courts from the time they are filed until they are resolved.

 It also gives important information about case clearance rates, painting a clear picture of how well the body is handling the caseload.

 "One of the most compelling features of this dashboard is its ability to detect and analyze case adjournments, pinpointing the reasons behind them and enabling comparisons across different courts," she stated.

 The dashboard is also an essential tool for making decisions based on evidence.

 It draws attention to patterns and caseloads, helping to pinpoint areas with high rates of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and providing guidance for the thoughtful construction of specialized SGBV courts.

 The Judiciary is also switching from an automated Monthly returns system that compares input data with the data in the CTS to a manual MS Word reporting tool to guarantee the accuracy of the data in the CTS.

 "To facilitate this transition, I hereby direct the Directorate of ICT to undertake comprehensive training of all Judges and Judicial Officers on the Automated Monthly returns system and begin the implementation of the Automated Monthly Returns system," said Koome.

 The CJ referred to the Judiciary's establishment of the Cause List Portal as an inventive and open-access platform.