XN000022-1993-01-11 — Page 4

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MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1993

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"WHILST WE HAVE FOR MANY YEARS A SYSTEM OF APPOINTING LAWYERS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE SITTING AS DEPUTY JUDGES OR TEMPORARY MAGISTRATES, WE HOPE TO INSTITUTE A RECORDERSHIP SCHEME IN ORDER TO ATTRACT NUMBER OF LAWYERS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO SEVERAL WEEKS BACH YEAR HEARING CASES AS DEPUTY JUDGES, HE SAID.

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THE CHIEF JUSTICE REVEALED THAT HE KEPT A TIGHT WATCH ON THE STATE OF THE HIGH COURT AND COURT OF APPEAL DIARIES WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE REGISTRAR AND THE LISTING MASTER.

**BACH FRIDAY, WE MEET WITH THE LISTING CLERKS TO KEEP OURSELVES ABREAST OF DEVELOPMENT AND TO DEAL WITH ANY PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE, HE ADDED.

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ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE, SIR TI LIANG SAID THE PASSING INTO LAW OF THE ORDINANCE HAD INEVITABLY INCREASED THE WORK OF THE JUDICIARY AT ALL LEVELS.

"IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY, ON OCCASION, ΤΟ GIVE PRIORITY ΤΟ APPELLATE MATTERS INVOLVING BILL OF RIGHTS POINTS,

AS.

VERY OFTEN, DECISION IS NEEDED URGENTLY NOT ONLY FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE LOWER COURTS BUT ALSO FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, HE EXPLAINED.

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THE

IMPETUS ΤΟ

THE MAGISTRACIES

AS THE ORDINANCE ALSO PROVIDED THE ADMINISTRATION TO EXTEND THE DUTY LAWYER SCHEME IN COVERING ALL OFFENCES AND NOT SIMPLY THE RESTRICTED OFFENCES EMBRACED IN THE PREVIOUS SCHEME, THE WORKLOAD OF THE MAGISTRACIES HAD INCREASED.

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"I WOULD LIKE TO PAY SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE MAGISTRATES WHO, WITH NO INCREASE IN NUMBERS, HAVE ABSORBED THIS EXTRA WORK WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN WAITING TIMES.

MAGISTRATES AND THE

"WITH THE HELP AND CO-OPERATION OF THE DUTY LAWYERS, THE COURT DIARIES HAVE NOT BEEN SERIOUSLY AFFECTED," THE CHIEF JUSTICE SAID.

STATED THAT

INFORMATION

TURNING TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, SIR TI LIANG THE CONSULTANTS ENGAGED TO ADVISE ON THE INTRODUCTION OF TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE JUDICIARY COMPLETED THEIR REPORT.

HAVING ACCEPTED THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AS AN IMPORTANT STEP "IN GETTING AWAY FROM OUR OLD-FASHIONED LABOUR INTENSIVE SYSTEMS AND FOR MOVING INTO A NEW ERA** THE REPORT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED ΤΟ THE ADMINISTRATION, ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

INTRODUCTION

INTO

THE

"THIS YEAR HAS ALSO SEEN THE MAGISTRACIES OF THE CASEMAN SYSTEM FOR THE ISSUE AND PROCESSING OF SUMMONSES AND CHARGES WHERE PROCEEDINGS ARK INITIATED BY EITHER THE POLICE, CUSTOMS AND EXCISE OR ONE OF THE OTHER RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS," HE ADDED.

THE CASEMAN SYSTEM ENABLES THE PROSECUTING AUTHORITIES TO FEED IN THE SUMMONSES AND CHARGES FROM THEIR OWN TERMINAL AND FOR THAT PROCESS TO BE ISSUED AUTOMATICALLY IN THE MAGISTRACY.

/SERVICE AND