The Supreme Court (SC) has started training trial court judges and personnel on the first prototype of an electronic Court Management System under the eCourt System Version 2.0 project.

In a press briefer, the SC’s Office of the Spokesperson said the new system “aims to simplify and automate case management and court processes, supporting the goals of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI).”

It said “the eCourt PH ver. 2.0 introduces advanced features such as court station case management, streamlined case processing, calendar scheduling, and a public portal.” 

“These enhancements enable courts to utilize digital rollos, conduct videoconferencing, and maintain private notetaking, revolutionizing the efficiency and accessibility of judicial processes,” it also said.

The training was held at the Judicial Academy Philippines in Tagaytay City. It was organized by the SC Committee on Computerization and Libraries, led by Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, along with the Management Information Systems Office, the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), the Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJa), and prototype developer ComClark Network and Technology Corp. (ComClark).

The press briefer stated that the four pilot courts for the first prototype are Branch 137, Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC), Quezon City; Branch 141, Regional Trial Court (RTC), Makati City; Branch 41, RTC, Bacolod City; and Branch 8, RTC, Davao City. 

It said that judges and court personnel were trained to use the application’s advanced features and manage complex judicial workflows. Other judges and branch clerks from 18 courts nationwide, Regional Court Managers, and SC legal staff attended as observers.

During the two-day training, participants practiced using the system’s advanced features through hands-on exercises, live demonstrations, and real-time case management simulations. After the sessions, participants discussed the challenges they encountered and suggested ways to improve the system.

In his message, Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo told the participants: “By streamlining court operations and embracing innovative technology, eCourt PH ver. 2.0 will revolutionize the way justice is delivered, making the judiciary more effective, accessible, and responsive to the needs of the public.”

Justice Leonen discussed the eCourt PH ver. 2.0’s five components -- (1) electronic filing and service of court documents in civil cases (eFiling), (2) installation of court management applications, (3) electronic filing and case management in the Supreme Court and appellate courts, (4) digital appeals and the promulgation and service of appellate judgment and orders, and (5) supplementary application of digitalization in criminal cases and special proceedings.

The first component, eFiling, was fully implemented on Dec. 1, 2024, making it mandatory for pleadings and other court submissions – except initiatory pleadings – to be filed and served via email in trial courts. 

Developing prototypes of the system for trial courts and training pilot courts to use and evaluate them is part of the second component of eCourt PH ver. 2.0. Pilot testing for the first prototype is set to begin as early as Jan. 30, 2025, with an evaluation scheduled for the last week of April 2025.) 

Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva underscored that efficient courts ensure faster case resolution and strengthen the public’s trust in the judicial system.

ComClark provided a comprehensive overview of the prototype, outlining its key features and purpose and demonstrating its workflow and user interface.

On the part of PhilJa, Chief of Academic Affairs Dean Emerito I. Enginco acknowledged the challenges that lie ahead and reaffirmed the academy’s commitment to supporting judges and court personnel as they apply the lessons from the training in their respective courts.