1. 1 www.comcourts.gov.au From paper to the present: the emergence of online services in the courts by Phil Hocking Chief Information Officer Family Court and Federal Circuit Court

2. ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION How do services delivered via video or on-line enable courts to better meet the needs of our clients? What are the implications for court spaces and court staff of enhanced information and communication technologies? How do we support the needs of clients who are not particularly computer savvy? 2

3. Video and Online Services in the FCoA and FCC Video Services in the Courts IPVC Online Services in the Courts Commonwealth Courts Portal 3

4. Context of Courts Family Court of Australia National Family Law Jurisdiction Superior Court with Appellate and 1 st Instance Jurisdiction 35 Judges Federal Circuit Court Court of 1 st Instance Family Law and General Federal Law 65 Judges 4

5. Video Conferencing in the Courts 5

6. Video Technology Prior to 2012 - ISDN Model Federal Courts have used ISDN lines for VC since before 2000 Lines rented from Telstra Extremely expensive Difficult to calculate accurate costs per session Difficult to pass on full costs to parties Very limited usage due to call costs 6

7. Video Technology From 2013 - Internet Protocol VC (IPVC) All FCoA/FCC sites (21) upgraded to use IPVC infrastructure 30 Fixed systems in courtrooms 4 fixed systems in meeting rooms 27 portable units 4 Tandberg units – personalised video conference units Means VC data is carried over existing WAN lines (sunk cost) so effectively free High Definition Video and High Quality audio Courtroom VC is fully integrated with court recording system and sound reinforcement system Can be party-party (direct dial) or multi-party sessions (coordinated centrally via the bridge) Some Courtrooms also have integrated Document Camera 7

8. Video Conferences in Courts 27 Portable Units located at all sites only needs a network connection to dial or receive video conference calls Tandberg personal unit below 8

9. 30 Video & Audio Equipped Courtrooms 9

10. Video Equipped Courtroom 10 (use touch panel to operate the technology)

11. Video Equipped Courtroom 11 (document camera)

12. Video Equipped Courtroom 12

13. Video Technology Benefits of Internet Protocol VC (IPVC): Free VC sessions between sites Free sessions with external sites which also use IP (Internet Protocol) enabled equipment Free sessions with external parties via Cisco Jabber but must have: PC/laptop with ADSL connection, microphone, webcam and speakers Packets can be tracked by engineers to ensure priority for high quality on WAN Simple to use 13

14. Video Technology Risks Need contract with supplier with local support Need very good internal 1 st level support model: Judges demand superior performance Engineer/Help Desk support must be available as required Should be able to monitor VIP sessions Loss of confidence by a VIP user through a bad session can occur and takes time to recover from 14

15. Video Technology Unintended consequences All national judicial and staff telelink meetings now via IPVC Heavier use than planned for (good!) New online Booking System was needed to manage bookings Need to link IPVC bookings to case management system for hearing but avoid clash with non-court related bookings 15

16. How do services delivered via video enable courts to better meet the needs of our clients? Reduce travel costs for Parties living in remote areas Parties who can’t afford to travel to court Expert witnesses living interstate/overseas Other govt agencies (eg legal aid) Faster delivery of judgments to circuit locations Cheaper and faster directions hearings for regional locations family report conferences for regional locations Protection for vulnerable witnesses Hosting an AIJA national real time interactive conference next month 16

17. What are the implications for court spaces of video conferencing technologies? Need to allow space for equipment rack if inside (heat issue/access) or outside courtroom Cabling may be difficult Joinery changes may be expensive Be aware of all viewing angles and glare Ensure integration with court recording system and provider sound reinforcement systems 17

18. Video Equipped Courtroom 18 (AV equipment rack)

19. What are the implications for court staff of video conferencing technologies? During installation must have judicial agreement for changes to bench etc Have a Pilot site to prove concept User manuals and training are vital Complex part is tuning the network for VC traffic Need to have Help Desk staff trained to instantly respond to issues during a session Staff have embraced IPVC as improved communication tool Less travel due to meetings via IPVC now 19

20. How do we support the needs of clients who are not particularly computer savvy? Contact Centre help line to assist with Jabber setup Not an issue in courtroom as they just appear as normal We always have court officer to assist at circuit sites Must still stress that they are in a court and to dress/behave accordingly 20

21. A lesson on VC www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMXm3fvktjU‎ 21

22. Online eServices in the Courts - Commonwealth Courts Portal www.comcourts.gov.au 22

23. “… to provide a common platform to advance on line services on behalf of the Family Court, Federal Court, and Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of WA. ” 23

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26. Online Divorce Application 26

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28. Portal Registrations 30-Jun-0930-Jun-1030-Jun-1130-Jun-1230-Jun-13 Law firms6671279246632804134 Lawyers17612827502667468370 Total users590024 07357 60285332118,108 28

29. How do services delivered via on-line services enable courts to better meet the needs of our clients? Portal provides: Single user ID and password for all federal courts information 24/7 access to view documents, orders, listing details Simple system to upload documents Smart eforms for applications guide user through process Self-select hearing date and pay by credit card eCourt Forum enables a virtual court room for attendances via Portal 29

30. What are the implications for court staff of the Portal? Courts are fully committed to developing full Electronic Court File (ECF) Direct benefits are reduced costs due to: Minimal data entry No file movements No lost documents or files Less printing and paper costs No archival and retrieval costs Self-service for provision of sealed orders leads to reduced postage and handling Also fits with govt’s Digital Transition Strategy 30

31. What are the implications for court spaces of online services? In Court - changes needed to view ECF Screens required for Bench Associate Parties/lawyers Witness Could be all-in-one touch screens or tablets For judge must be able to display multiple documents like paper file Printer required for ad hoc printing 31

32. What are the implications for court spaces of online services? In Court - screens on bench considerations Angle of display Avoid obscuring parties Avoid glare OHS issues Flexible installation for other judges to use Embedded in bench or mounted on top Motorised systems for fine tuning Cabling access and costs 32

33. What are the implications for court spaces of online services? In Court - screens on bench considerations Screens should not interfere with viewing angles for judges Keyboard, mouse or touch screen Footprint on bench All-in-one-computer may be appropriate 33

34. Lenovo all-in-one with a 27" 1080p display Tablet PC 34

35. Touch Screen sizes available now

36. What are the implications for court spaces of online services? Other areas of the courthouse will also need more screens: Chambers Registry - any locations where ECF is viewed For clients – File viewing section Front Counter (Coles self-service model) Issues - cabling, joinery, footprint etc What about viewing ECF on circuit? 36

37. How do we support the needs of clients using online services who are not particularly computer savvy? Contact Centre Help Line available business hours Web sites online help Staff can remotely take over their PC to train them live (usually for law firms) Analysing issues raised by clients to address them (dynamic help screens) Printed documents will still be available Paper less courts = less paper www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIeZg0-Tc9M www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIeZg0-Tc9M 37

38. Thank You 38