Case Management and Court Administration Expert

Project Background

Reform of Justice Sector in Rwanda began in 2004. The focus was on clearing the backlog of cases that had accumulated, some dating back more than 20 years. In collaboration with key international partners, good progress has been made and the backlog is expected to be cleared by end of 2013. The judiciary, with the Supreme Court as its lead institution, has driven the reform of the justice sector.

With demands on the justice system increasing all the time, there is a need to put in place an effective and efficient system that can manage the expected volume of cases coming through the system. The Strategic Plan of the Supreme Court (2009 - 2013) seeks to address this and by doing so contribute to the wider goals of the Government of Rwanda Vision 2020 and the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS).

The implementation of this plan has led to an overhaul of the human resources within the judiciary. This will continue to involve the recruitment of young, newly qualified court officers. Though motivated and talented, these new recruits require training and mentoring from experienced practitioners particularly in court management and administration and the use of electronic tools to support these processes. Currently, several electronic systems are in place through the support provided by other partners (UNDP, Netherlands, USAID), these include: the Electronic Filing System (EFS); the Electronic Records Management System (ERMS); the Legal Information Portal (LIP). Though useful and functional, these systems are not integrated and are not currently used to their fullest potential.

Project Purpose

The project aims to enhance the operational effectiveness of the Supreme Court of Rwanda with regard to electronic case management in order to ensure that justice is administered fairly, effectively and efficiently and that it is fully accessible to the people of Rwanda.

The project will lay the foundations for the establishment of a responsive and accessible justice system in Rwanda which will increase confidence in the justice system among the population and also among domestic and foreign investors. This will provide the basis for Rwanda’s continued social and political development and economic growth.

Scope of Work

The project will provide a range of experts. The lead will be a Case Management and Court Administration Expert who will be based at the Supreme Court of Rwanda and report to the Secretary General or nominee.

During the implementation period it is expected that the expert will undertake:

• Review and analyse the current business processes, IT applications currently in place and the human capacity available to support these processes.
• Develop and implement workplan which will include:

• the business process re-engineering required from filing to disposal of cases and subsequent public availability of case documentation
• how the existing IT tools (including the Electronic Filing System, the Electronic Records Management System and the Legal Information Portal) can be integrated in order to enhance the efficiency of the business processes
• definition of the schedule of capacity building that is required throughout the judiciary (principally registrars, judges and IT officers) in order to ensure that staff are fully equipped to utilise the IT tools available.

• Oversee digitisation of the historical records into the records management system (building on the work already commenced by UNDP) using, where necessary and appropriate, existing locally recruited resource.
• Convene annual sector wide seminar to consult on and discuss the progress of IT initiatives throughout the justice sector.
• Provide support, through specialist short term expertise, to the Office of the Inspector General to develop and oversee an initial public perceptions survey and then build the capacity to undertake subsequent surveys on a regular basis (perhaps every two years). In undertaking this aspect the expert will work with the Rwanda Governance Advisory Council, where appropriate.
• Advise on need for further short term expertise as necessary.

Project Outputs

It is expected that the project will produce:

• Improved judicial business processes, including public access to systems and documentation
• Integrated judicial IT applications for court administration and case management (building on EFS, ERMS, LIP)
• Judicial staff trained appropriately in the use of ICT
• Complete archive back to 2004
• Inspector General’s staff trained in evaluation and judgment analysis

Transfer of Expertise

The Commonwealth Secretariat attaches particular importance to the transfer of expertise and knowledge to counterparts.

The expert will be based at the Supreme Court and will work closely with staff already involved in the reform process. Through their continued presence in the Court and working with all institutions in the sector, the expert will work to transfer high-quality advice through mentoring, formal training and guidance documentation. They will mentor, guide and formally train all relevant staff so that the processes and support systems will be able to function and be maintained by permanent staff once the project is completed.

Implementation Arrangements

The expert will work closely with Commonwealth Secretariat Advisers in delivering this technical assistance. The expert will be based at the Supreme Court of Rwanda in Kigali for two years and will report to the Secretary General of the Supreme Court.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential:

• A degree in relevant subjects such as Law and Information Management / Information Systems and Technology / Business Systems Analysis and Design, or equivalent
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in court administration with particular expertise in use of electronic case management systems
• Experience in business process re-engineering and in implementing justice sector reforms
• Significant IT and training expertise
• Strong communication and presentation skills in the English Language

Desirable:

• Advanced degree in relevant subjects such as Information Management
• Experience of working in developing country contexts
• Knowledge of French language (Written and Spoken)

Making an application & further information

How to apply

Terms and Conditions of Service