ABSTRACT
The aim of this project work is to design an implementation of a computerized case scheduling system of court of law. 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 cases, pushing the guilty people and also interpreting the constitution of the land as well as administration of justice. The current process of case scheduling is being operated manually and due to this procedure numerous problem are been encountered. A design was taken to computerized the manual process in order to check this problem. The problems were identified after series of interviews and examination of documents after which analysis was made and a computerized procedure recommended. This project will also suggest how to successfully implement the computerized procedure and to overcome the obstacle that would hinder the successful implementation of the system. The new system was designed using Microsoft visual basic 6.0 programming language. This language was chosen because of its easy syntax and features for developing windows based applications.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of contents
CHAPTER ONE
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Brief history of imo state high court
1.3. Organization structure
1.4. Statement of problem
1.5. Significance of the study
1.6. Scope and limitation of the study
1.7. Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2. Computer and legal processes
2.3. Computer and the law library
2.4. Computer in the courts
2.5. Case scheduling
CHAPTER THREE
System investigation and analysis
3.1 Introduction
3.2. Methods of data collection
3.3 Analysis of data
3.4 System design
3.5 Input/output specification
3.6 System requirement
3.6.1. Software requirement
3.6.2. Hardware requirement
CHAPTER FOUR
System implementation and testing
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Evaluation of database computerized case scheduling system
4.2 program implementation
4.2.1 Training of personnel
4.2.2 System review and maintenance
4.2.3 System conversion of change over process
4.3 Documentation and installation
4.4 Language selection
4.5 Program flowchart
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1. Summary, conclusion and recommendation
5.2. Summary
5.3. Conclusion
5.4. Recommendation
5.5. Problem/limitation of the research work
CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
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 alt 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 (Alkaki Court or Sharia 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.
By virtue of section 6(1) of the Nigeria constitution 1991, the following courts were established in the federal republic of Nigeria.
The Supreme Court
The court of Appeal
The sharia court
The customary court
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 sharia court of Appeal and customer court of appeal. Appeals from the decision by the court of appeal go 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 Sharia 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 data base 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 system in case scheduling taking a case study of Imo State high court Owerri.
- 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 proceeding 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.
- STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
In response to the knowledge or need to computerize the system or method of case scheduling of a court of law. In order to curb to problems of inefficiency associated with the manual system or method of case scheduling and analyzing court proceeding which includes the following inaccurate recording: this is a high tendency of encountering error when records are kept manually.
Time wasting: there is a high tendency of time wasting. In recording processing and analyzing files or records manual or system is so laborious and time consuming compared to computerized system.
INADEQUATE PLANNING AND DESIGN
The sole aim and objective of this work is to design and implement a computer base system for case scheduling in a court of law. It also aims at ensuring flow information as well as communication and documentation amongst all.
- Ensuring faster and more effective system a computerized system.
- Source information to students or researches who might venture into related field of study.
- Ensure effective storage and retrieval system in the court of law using the computer system.
- Improve the level of security of information as well as document and files.
- To design a system that will at the same time by giving an immediate reply of any request made on re-confirmation of case scheduling in a court.
- To provide facilities that will ensure easy updating and maintenance of the system.
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 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. The court system as well as its processes with regards to how cases are handled and scheduling.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
To ensure the progress, validity and originality of the project the scope was reduced to lowest term considering that case scheduling and its computerization are essential task been carried out in a law court. It is a side topic that involves many corporation and protocol. The Imo state High court owerri, was chosen so s to based ambiguity and to ensure that success is achieved at the shortest possible time. ln this project will certainly outline the method of a computerized system of case scheduling which the law court could use and as such ensure timeliness of information as well as security of information. The limitation to this research work include the following:
- Lack of resourceful materials that would further investigation and harnessing.
- limited time to carry out the research work, as the research was combined with other academic activities
- Financial instability, which constituted more to the limitation as relates movement form one place to another for material and further aids towards the topic of discussion.
1.7. DEFINITION OF TERMS
Computer: This is an electronic device that is capable of solving problems by acting data performing prescribed operations on the data accepted and supplies the result of the operation.
Computerization” This is a technique whereby all parts of an organization run manually are taking over by the use of the computer system.
Judge: This is the officers in control of court of law who decides how criminal offenders should be punished.
Crime: This includes all illegal activities in general deal with by legal decision.
Adjudicate: This means to officially decided who is right in an argument between two groups or organization in a court of law.
Adjourn: To temporarily stop the case or postpone a case in the law court.
Culprit: the persons who is guilty of a crime or responsible for demand, or a problem
Defendant: the person who a case issued against
Plaintiff: this is the person summoning another on a case in a law corrupt.
Prosecute: to officially change somebody with a crime in a court of law.
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