DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTERIZED COURT SCHEDULE SYSTEM

1.1 Introduction

Computerized court scheduling system is an application program designed to effectively store and retrieve court scheduled date and venue during court case hearing or adjournment using the computer system. Computer and law service, the wonder of computer is not very far from the court proceedings and all other court activities due to it can be used to store some criminal five and retrieve if need be at any given time. The introduction of computer in court proceedings will enhance the speedy and accurate efficiency and effective attendance of each and every clients in the court. In a bid to solve their problems and make life less cumbersome have been evolving from one idea to another. They have tried many ways to actualize their dreams. But unfortunately, there are little or no progress because they did not have the technologies to carry them through for technologically and scientifically they were but full of crude ideas.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

---

1.2 Background of Study

The history of computer and computing may said to begin with the abacus, a machine that aid humans in calculation more than 5,000 years ago. Down the evolutionary trend, names of people like John Napier, Blaise Pascal, Gottfried Wilhelm, Charles Babbage etc. cannot be left out. It is the difficulties and weak points of manual operations in our works that let to the development of this powerful tool.

The judicial arm of government is the third organ of government besides the legislature and the executive. The major functions of this arm includes setting of case, finding the quality people and also interpreting the constitution of the land as well as administration of justice. Other functions include interpreting laws made by the legislative arm of government, declaration of acts of the legislative as null, void, unconstitutional and of no effect. Moreover, the judiciary is the hope of the ordinary man. They do this by safeguarding the rights and liberties of the citizens. The aggrieved person can go to court to seek redress. It is the job of the court to see to that justice prevails. Also during elections, courts may determine who actually won the election and rigged it as part of its settlement between individuals and the state. The judiciary operations through courts which ascertain facts disputes and adjudicate between disputing parties; the Nigerian judicial system is composed of a hierarchy of courts ranging from the customary court Magistrate Court and High Court to the Supreme Court.

In the democratic set up a minister with a port folio heads the ministry of justice. The minister is also the attorney general of the country. The courts established by the constitution are the only superior courts of record in Nigeria. The supreme is the highest court and all decision from the court is binding to all other courts. In Nigeria, the State court structure of the level of the court of Appeal the court of Appeal entertains appeal from the decisions of the high courts. The Customary court of Appeal and customer court of appeal. Appeals from the decision by the court of appeal go to the Supreme Court.

In terms of administration purpose, the state courts are the most important court in each state. This assertion is strengthened because the constitution has established a high court of each state directly; each state has our option to establish a Customary Court of Appeal or a customary court of appeal. However, for effective performance of the court in its judicial function, there is need for a computer base system to be introduced into court system. The database system will ensure better control and regular effective documentation of case file as well as scheduling of cases. This work therefore gives an analysis of the design and implementation of a Computerized Court Schedule System taking a case study of Imo State high court.

---

1.2.1 Brief History of Imo State High Court

Before the introduction of British colonial administration in Igbo land, the Igbo’s have a well entrenched traditional system of adjudication. The colonial administration found the system convenient and native courts, which became the forerunners of today’s court. The native court continued to exist even after leading to storing agitations for their eventual abolition.

However, in line with the coming effects of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria and the provision made therein for the establishment of the state high court, Imo state high court Owerri came into function following the creation of the state, located along Orlu Road Owerri metropolis Imo state, ahs courts ranging from 1 to 9 with its chief judge respectively. The Imo state High Court Owerri ahs unlimited jurisdiction over the state expected on all matters regarding all federal government owned parastatals such as federal government owned institution, organization or school etc. There are several judicial decisions created for administration purposes.

Organization Structure: The organization structure of Imo State High Court show the hierarchy of personnel, various function departments, individual positions as well as their relationship together for order logical arrangement.

Duties of Personnel: Personnel duties are connected whereas some are reached such that without proper understanding and discharging of roles, work might be affected.

Hence there is need to explain most the personnel duties.

The Chief Judge: He is the chief executive of the State High Court. He has unlimited jurisdiction, he is as well the overseer of the whole body and adjudicate cases.

The Administrative Judge: the administrative judge of different division assigns cases to various court for hearing. He also communicated with the court clerk about cases that ate entered into the court’s dairy.

The Chief Registrar: Also known as the sheriff carried all executions and sales under his directive. He also the head of administration. He complies and transfer issues, petitions against parties.

The Director of Personnel: He also the head of administration. He compiles and transfer issues, petitions against staff arrange the process of promotion of staffs under the strict supervision of the registrar.

Assistant Chief Registrar: They carry out effective services filling and processing of court proceedings aimed at reporting to the judge for jurisdiction. They also assign oaths.

The Chief Accountant: He is discharge of financial matters federal allocations as well as liaises with the senior accountant and the accountant and also ensures that staffs receive their salaries.

The Senior Clerical Officer: the office of the clerk is responsible for information control. He attends to the public papers case lits, and enters cases into the courts dairy as well as schedule cases for hearing.

---

1.3 Statement of Problem

Investigation revealed the problems of the Computerized Court Schedule System which is stated as follows:

1. Lack of computer for storage of court schedules and proceedings. There is tendency of Imo State Federal high court to lose some files which will bring distrust to them.
2. Lack of trained personnel as computer operator and computer analysis.
3. Due to the computer is not appropriately applied in court proceedings the people that handle the case can falsity some documents and try to take bribe to free hoodlums.
4. Due to the problem mentioned above, the manual of court proceedings is clumsy and insufficient.

---

1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is to design and implement a Computerized Court Schedule System. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to develop an application software that will:

1. Ensure effective storage and retrieval system in the court of law using computer system;
2. Improve the level of security of information as well as document and files;
3. Give an immediate reply of any request made on re-confirmation of case scheduling in a court; and
4. Provide facilities that will ensure easy updating and maintenance of the system.

---

1.5 Significance of Study

The use of a computerized case scheduling was design to enable the Nigerian judicial arm of government though the court, enhance their duties of live up to their responsibilities of setting cases ascertaining facts of disputes and adjudicating between disputing of a computer base case scheduling system. The above stated topic of the discussion will as well individuals or researcher to have good understanding of the structure of the court. And the court system as well as its processes with regards to how cases are handled and scheduling.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

---

1.6 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Design and Implementation of a Computerized Court Schedule System using Imo State High Court as a cases study.

---

1.7 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this institution to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
4. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
5. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).

---

1.8 Definition of Terms

Computer: An electronic device that input data, process it, and bring it out as an information.