Responsive and Real-Time Justice
A Strategic Plan for Judiciary Innovations 2022-2027
By: Atty. Clarizze May P. Cajigal
Justice delayed is justice denied. Unfortunately, we live in a time where our justice system is seemingly inaccessible to millions of underprivileged Filipinos; and we often question whether justice in the Philippines is only for the influential and wealthy. Thus, despite the numerous issues that plague the Philippine Judicial System, the Supreme Court of the Philippines (“Supreme Court”) has made it a priority to institutionalize the delivery of responsive and real-time justice for ALL Filipinos.
In October 2022, the Supreme Court launched its Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI) which aims to address the institutional challenges that our judicial system is facing, guided by the principles of: 1) timeliness and fairness, 2) transparency and accountability, 3) equality and inclusivity, and 4) adaptability to technology. These principles, coupled with the use of modern technology, seeks to improve the efficiency of the courts leading to significant reforms in the country’s judicial system.
In line with the SPJI, the Supreme Court launched the following programs and platforms: Judiciary e-Payment Solution or JePS; Digitalized Benchbook; Philippine Judiciary 365; Philippine Judicial Academy Learning Management System; Human Resource Management System; Financial Management Information System; Bar Applicant Registration Information System and Tech Assistance or BARISTA; eFiling under the eCourt System version 2.0; and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Court Operations.
KEY PROGRAMS AND PLATFORMS
Judiciary e-Payment Solution or JePS
The Judiciary e-Payment Solution or JePS provides a platform for the online or electronic assessment and payment of legal fees and other fees relative to the filing of cases, petitions, applications, motions, requests and other court services, applications, and the like. JePS Users will no longer be limited to on-site assessments and payments. Instead, assessments can be done at the comfort of one’s home or office, with the corresponding payments made either online or at UnionBank branches.
The use of JePS is mandatory for collections amounting to more than One Thousand Pesos (PhP 1,000.00) to Fifty Thousand Pesos (PhP 50,000.00). However, it is optional in the following instances: 1) collections amounting to One Thousand Pesos (PhP 1,000.00) and below; 2) posting of cash bail bonds, together with the payment of bond fees, and payment of court fines, regardless of the amount; and 3) collections amounting to more than Fifty Thousand Pesos (PhP 50,000.00), which cannot be paid through the Offices of the Clerks of Court.
JePS seeks to enhance the efficiency of assessment and payment of court fees, improve public access to judicial services, boost transparency and accountability, and equip the Supreme Court with robust accounting and auditing mechanisms.
Digitalized Benchbook
In January 2023, the Supreme Court launched the Digitized Benchbook for Philippine Trial Courts, which contains information on current laws, rules, regulations, jurisprudence, issuances of the Supreme Court, and other topics that are accessible online, searchable, downloadable, and user-friendly.
The ultimate goal of digitization is to ensure that the members of the Bench have access to updated, current and accurate information at all times. Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo emphasized the need “to have all resource materials at our fingertips” to help the members of the Bench in crafting their decision without losing their momentum.
This digital resource ensures judges are promptly updated, facilitating expedited decision-making and alleviating court docket congestion.
The Philippine Judiciary 365
The Philippine Judiciary 365 is a modern workplace solution which provides courts with the facility to work electronically by making the submissions and receipt of pleadings and other court submissions electronically, by hearing and deciding cases via videoconferencing, generating real-time transcripts of stenographic notes and by organizing court calendars, among others.
Moreover, all official communications from the Supreme Court, Chief Justice, and the Office of the Court Administrator will be disseminated through the Official Announcements and Issuances Channel within the Philippine Judiciary Office 365 platform. This ensures swift access to administrative orders, circulars, and other court directives without the need for traditional mail distribution.
By leveraging this platform, courts can efficiently access and stay updated on relevant issuances, reducing delays caused by physical mail delivery. Additionally, the capability to conduct hearings via video conferencing minimizes the need for postponements due to physical constraints, further enhancing the efficiency of judicial proceedings.
Philippine Judicial Academy Learning Management System
The Philippine Judicial Academy Learning Management System makes traditionally in-person training programs available online. This allows justices, judges, court officials, and employees the privilege to access on-demand training courses at their own time and convenience.
This platform enhances workplace effectiveness, productivity, and the efficiency of court personnel in fulfilling their responsibilities.
Bar Applicant Registration Information System and Tech Assistance or BARISTA
The Bar Applicant Registration Information System and Tech Assistance or BARISTA digitizes the application for the Bar Examinations. The platform facilitates the registration, submission of supporting documents, and the payment of fees for applications to take the Bar Examinations. A Bar applicant can easily track the status of the application through BARISTA. The BARISTA platform also enables the Bar applicant to readily access all news and announcements issued by the Supreme Court in relation to the Bar Examinations.
The BARISTA platform is designed to streamline the application process for the Bar Examinations as well as support Supreme Court personnel by streamlining the Bar Examinations application process and managing future lawyers’ data. By streamlining the application process for the Bar Examinations and aiding in organizing data and records of future lawyers, BARISTA can significantly reduce administrative burdens on Supreme Court personnel. The reduction of the administrative tasks through BARISTA can lead to a more productive and efficient use of Supreme Court personnel’s time and energy. Additionally, streamlining processes can potentially lead to quicker turnaround times for application processing and other related tasks, benefiting both the Supreme Court and applicants alike. Ultimately, it leads to a more efficient use of their time and energy, potentially improving the overall productivity of the legal system.
eFiling under the eCourt System
The eFiling under the eCourt system endeavors to decongest dockets and address the notorious delays in court processes by mandating the electronic filing of the primary filing of all pleadings and other court submissions in civil cases in lower courts beginning April 5, 2024. eFiling, however, is not an absolute rule. The primary filing through electronic transmittal of certain documents requires the express permission from the court. These include: initiatory pleadings and initial responsive pleadings; accompanying documents not readily amendable to digitization to PDF; and sealed and confidential documents or records.
With this, anyone with access to the internet can use the same to file and serve pleadings and other court submissions. This platform is likewise environmentally sound as it reduces the need for the use of paper. Further, it mitigates the risk of losing physical copies of documents, thus ensuring the preservation of court records and documents, which can be retrieved any time.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Court Operations
The Supreme Court has looked at the possibility of using AI for the judiciary department’s e-library to improve the legal research capabilities of the courts. With the help of AI, there is faster and easier access to legal references as the search engine to be installed will provide more accurate and reliable results. As Chief Justice Gesmundo said, AI-enabled tech will also “generate analysis based on words and phrases, including their context, from previous cases or legal precedents, and predict and suggest possible outcomes for new cases.”
While AI offers potential benefits, caution is necessary to prevent misuse and overreliance, ensuring lawyers maintain ethical standards in legal practice.
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With the introduction of these reforms, the Supreme Court aims to eliminate the adage “justice delayed is justice denied,” ushering in an era of responsive and real-time justice for all Filipinos. Through strategic innovations guided by principles of fairness, transparency, accountability, and technological adaptiveness, the Philippine Judiciary seeks to overcome longstanding challenges, ensuring equal access to justice and upholding the rule of law in the modern era of digital age.
Clarizze is a Junior Associate and currently a member of the Litigation, Intellectual Property and Real Property Departments of the Firm.
Clarizze is involved in the Firm’s litigation practice, appearing in courts for the numerous civil, criminal, and administrative cases handled by the firm. Her practice also includes corporate secretarial matters, corporate restructuring, and protection of intellectual property rights.