Judiciary digitises past court judgements
- TANZANIA: TANZANIA’S Judiciary is undergoing a digital transformation to enhance access to justice.
A massive project to digitise court judgments and rulings dating back to 1980 is underway, aimed at preserving legal history and improving legal research.
This project, mandated by Chief Justice Prof Ibrahim Hamis Juma, aims to enhance accessibility and preservation of legal documents by transitioning from physical to digital formats.
It involves scanning decisions from the Court of Appeal and the High Court of Tanzania which will be integrated into the TanzLII online system and eventually housed in an electronic library, facilitating easier public access and legal research.
Last week, Mr George Herbert, Registrar of the Court of Appeal of Tanzania, visited the Judiciary Library in Dar es Salaam to observe the ongoing scanning efforts.
The initiative is part of a broader project that emerged from a stakeholders’ meeting held in Dodoma on July 13-14, 2023.
Key participants included the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Government Printer, the Law Reform Commission, Tanzanian Judiciary Library, AfricanLII and GIZ, a German development agency.
Mr Herbert emphasised the benefits of this exercise, noting that digital access will significantly speed up legal research and improve the efficiency of justice delivery.
“This project is crucial as it addresses the challenge of locating old decisions. By digitalising these judgments, we ensure their longevity and facilitate quicker access,” he said.
Personal Assistant to the Chief Justice, Mr Venance Mlingi, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the importance of converting judgments to digital formats.
He noted that physical copies are prone to damage, which can impede research and judicial processes.
“Digital records will not only last longer but also support timely justice delivery by simplifying access for judges and magistrates,” Mlingi explained.
Mr Kifungu Mrisho Kariho, Director of Library Services and Deputy Registrar of the High Court, underscored the benefits of the project for legal studies and justice dispensation.
“The availability of old decisions in digital format will enhance legal research, improve the formulation of legal arguments and support the development of legal principles,” Kariho said.
As of now, the project has successfully scanned 5,424 decisions from the High Court of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam Zone and 1,430 decisions from the Court of Appeal.
The scanning commenced on July 29, 2024, with completion expected by the end of September 2024. The initiative will cover other zones, including Arusha, Bukoba, Dodoma, Iringa, Mbeya, Moshi and Mwanza.
