NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Local courts have been digitally upgrading by entering case files into an electronic system, revealed Chief Justice Ian Winder.
He explained that millions of pages worth of paperwork were entered into the system by the end of 2022, making the way the court stores and accesses data more efficient and accurate.
“One of the things that the digitization process will do or is going to do for us is to give you actual data, proper accurate numbers because at the end of the year we will have most of our files digitized.”
Winder added that with the Integrated Case Management System containing all case data, the court would be able to better gauge the status of the cases and come up with a strategy to tackle the backlog.
“We add to it every year, so long as we don’t complete more cases this year than we take in the backlog will grow, and the only way we could probably reassess it as we’ll have the technology to actually
“The great part is it’s easier because it’s a bit difficult with all the magistrate courts; some are in Freeport, some are in Abaco… the backlog just doesn’t go back this year or two years.”
Along with being in the advanced stages of the move to eFile and digitize records, Winder explained that they are also working on establishing a remote court at the prison and upgrading some traditional courts to accommodate those who may have to travel from the Family Islands but don’t have the means to.
This is expected to speed up the process of undergoing trials without having to wait on individuals who struggle to attend in person.
“I think it will provide a tremendous amount of help certainly the digital and remote side of it not only expenses but certainly delays, because very often a matter is delayed because all of a sudden someone who we may have thought could come, you’d find out that they’re either not in the jurisdiction or on some family island,” Winder said.
“With the remote court wherever they are they can hop on either a zoom or some other platform.”
The chief justice said that they are hearing some matters in the Coroner’s Court, however, inquests into police-involved shootings have not resumed as officials seek to identify an appropriate marshal.
“I understand the DPP and the minister who is responsible is trying to identify a marshal,” Winder said.
“I understand that shortly we’ll be advised on who the marshal is because the current marshal on the other matters is a police officer and so obviously no one wants the police officer to be marshaling a case in the respect of a police-involved shooting.
“So there are inquests that are going on, drownings, some traffic accidents, some of those are proceeding. It’s not functioning in the state where we would want it to be functioning, and I am promised that we will soon have a marshal again.”
