The USAID/Egypt-funded Administration of

Justice Support Project: A Status Report

World BankDecember 2, 2008

Support for the Administration of Justice in Egypt

Phase 1: USAID-funded Pilot Project – AOJS I1996 – 2004 $18.4 million to implement pilot project in

two Courts of First Instance: North Cairo and

Ismailia

Phase 2: USAID-funded Follow-on Project – AOJS II 2004 – 2009 $30 million to implement follow-on

project in five+ Courts of First Instance

AOJS - PurposeEnhance the capacity of key partner institutions

to expand and to sustain court reform systems:

▪ The Ministry of Justice

▪ The National Center for Judicial Studies

▪ The Judicial Information Center

▪ The Courts of First Instance

AOJS Goal

A responsive, fair and apolitical judicial system which is essential to adjudicating civil and commercial legal matters in Egypt

AOJS II - Project Objectives

▪ Design and Implement Information Management Systems

▪ Build Institutional Capacity for Sustainability Purposes▪ Reduce Case Delay ▪ Improve Court Services to the Public▪ Increase Transparency and Reduce Opportunities for Corruption▪ Enhance Judicial and Staff Training ▪ Provide Decision Makers, Judges, and Court Staff with

the Tools Necessary for Informed and Timely Decisions

AOJS Project Contractors

Prime ContractorAmerica-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. – AMIDEAST

Key US SubcontractorNational Center for State Courts – NCSC

Staffing Patterns

AOJS I ▪ 5 US Experts▪ 4 Egyptian Experts▪ 8 Support Staff▪ Short-Term

Consultants

AOJS II▪ 4 US Experts▪ 14 Egyptian

Experts▪ 12 Support Staff▪ Short-Term

Consultants

Challenges

▪ Opaque and Inefficient Court Procedures▪ Bureaucratic Entanglements▪ Crumbling Infrastructure▪ Limited Resources▪ Annual Judicial Rotation▪ Limited Continuing Education Opportunities for Judges▪ Untrained Court Staff▪ Ever-Increasing Caseloads

Infrastructure Challenge

Power Box in Server Room at Alexandria Court

Automation Challenge

Typing Pool Room – Alexandria Court

Seven Courts and a Central Network and Training Hub at the

Ministry of Justice ▪ A central location for transacting court

business ▪ A judiciary wide IT network▪ A central data management and IT support

center

Mainframes

ServersServers

WorkstationsWorkstations

INTERNETJIC

IT Solution for the Judiciary in EgyptSimplified View

ECMA usersECMA users

Alexandria Mansoura

AOJS = Sustainable Reform of Civil Courts

Assisting in creating a model for Egypt’s Civil Courts. ▪ AOJS I and II implemented model in targeted

courts: North Cairo, Ismailia, Alexandria, Mansoura, Tanta, Qena, and Hurghada Courts of First Instance and their satellite courts.

▪ MOJ replicating model in the remaining 18 Courts of First Instance.

AOJS II – Develop IT Vision Assisting in developing a vision for Information Technology in the Judiciary by designing and deploying a network hub to: ▪ Replicate model in all Courts of

First Instance; ▪ Connect all Courts; and▪ Facilitate improved case

management and reporting. Alexandria Court of First

Instance Typing Pool.

Mansoura Court of First Instance Automated Front

Counter .

Qena Court of First Instance Automated Front

Counter .

Alexandria Court of First Instance Automated Front

Counter .

Improved Communications

Digital Video Conferencing Capabilities

Automating Key Court Operations

Alexandria Typing Pool, Before and After

Automated Case Management

▪ Increased access to information for Judges and the public

▪ Enhanced transparency

▪ Improved information for decision makers

▪ Tool:Enhanced Case Management

Application

AOJS II - TrainingCreated a cadre of Judges trained and certified in Court Management.

Conducted more than 350 training programs for more than 3,000 Judges and Staff on topics such as:

▪ Strategic Planning▪ Management Skills ▪ Public Administration▪ Substantive Legal Topics▪ Specialized IT Skills▪ Basic Computer Skills▪ Enhanced Case Management

Application▪ Monitoring and Evaluation

Alexandria Court of First Instance Training Room after

Automation.

Luxor Court ECMA II Training.

Organized and Implemented 15 Overseas Study Tours for 100 Judges, Clerks, and Court Staff:

▪ Court Management, Administration, and Automation

▪ Economic Panels▪ Gender Integration ▪ International and

National Conferences

AOJS II - Overseas Study Tours

Egyptian Women Judges with Justice Ruth Ginsburg at the

Supreme Court in 2007.

Egyptian MOJ officials Visiting US Courts in June

2006.

AOJS II - Policies

Assisted in developing the following policies:

▪ Gender Integration in the Judiciary (2007)

▪ Reassignment of Simple Cases to One (2007) Judge Instead of to a Three-Judge Panel

▪ Specialized Commercial Courts (2008)▪ Court Performance Standards (2008)

Looking Back:STEADY PROGRESS IN TARGETED KEY

AREAS▪ $15 million spent on infrastructure/IT equipment (31% of Budget)

▪ Improved case management in 7 courts

▪ Reduced time from filing to disposition in civil cases

▪ Improved ratio of filings to dispositions

▪ Enhanced capacity to use and to sustain court management/IT systems

▪ Enhanced CJE offerings

▪ Improved transparency and availability of information in the courts

Performance Monitoring:Revised Common Indicators

▪ # of USG-Assisted Courts with Improved Case Management

▪ # of Justice Sector Personnel Who Received USG Training

▪ # of Legal Institutions and Associations Supported by USG

▪ Annual # of Positive Modifications to Legislation, Regulations, or Institutional Policies to Improve the Justice System Accomplished with USG Assistance

AOJS Lessons Learned

▪ Executive-level (Ministry) and senior-level (courts) support and guidance is required for successful project implementation.

▪ Judicial rotations and staff reassignments should be kept to a minimum to target sustainability.

▪ Reengineered workflow processes should be designed, implemented, and evaluated in courts prior to developing court automation systems that involve the processes.

▪ Automated court systems should provide the public with access to non-confidential court and case data in a transparent and timely manner.

▪ When launching court reform initiatives, development assistance projects should start in small, regional courts, whenever possible. With such an approach, it is easier to evaluate results and to make required adjustments. Replicating the initiatives in larger urban courts can then follow.

AOJS Lessons Learned▪ IT is a tool for court reform initiatives; it should not be the

focus of the project.

▪ Be selective about core institutional capacity building priorities for sustainability purposes; promote outsourcing of non-core functions.

▪ Court automation activities require highly-qualified computer specialists and network administrators in the courts.

▪ Court automation activities require considerable budgetary allocations for consumables, recurring operational costs (internet, software licenses, equipment maintenance, etc.), and on-going training.