The Supreme Court (SC) led the commemoration of the second anniversary of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), the judiciary’s blueprint for judicial reform, held at the Manila Hotel on Monday, Oct. 21.
In his keynote message to development partners and the media, chief justice Alexander G. Gesmundo shared updates on ongoing SPJI initiatives and highlighted promising developments on the horizon.
Gesmundo said that under the program’s Innovation initiatives, pilot testing of artificial intelligence (AI) software for voice-to-text transcription for court stenographers is underway in select first-and second-level courts.
Additionally, several SC offices are testing AI-enabled platforms to enhance and streamline legal research, according to Gesmundo.
He shared that the court has been working on an AI-assisted tool to aid self-represented litigants by generating templates for legal documents.
“This will contribute to improved access to justice, especially for those who cannot afford legal representation,” the chief justice noted.
He also described the adoption of secure digital signatures for court-issued documents, emphasizing enhanced security, expedited processing, and reduced physical paperwork.
The SC has initiated the redevelopment of the eCourt system and recently issued comprehensive guidelines on electronic filing (eFiling).
Beginning September 1, 2024, trial courts will only process pleadings and other submissions in civil cases if accompanied by an electronic transmittal of the document in PDF format sent via email.
Additionally, the high tribunal said it is also developing new rules on e-Notarization, which are expected to be promulgated soon.
