DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB BASED LEGAL PRACTITIONER APPLICATION SYSTEM

ABSTRACT

The system is designed in order to successfully communicate legal

activities on the web and allowing for a more transparent judicial system.

The web based application system addresses the initial problems of the

previous system in handling judicial matters which hitherto involves a lot

of “paper works” which is usually done manually and this lead to a lot of

delayed cases and also lacked of transparency. The current system

addresses the issues that were encountered by the previous system, cases

are now easily entered online and the judgment of such cases are also

published online for everyone who has access to the system to view

making it more transparent; the current system also helps to reduce lots of

“paper work” that was synonymous with the previous system, making

legal activities more faster in execution. Furthermore reference can easily

be made on the web about a particular case unlike in the previous system

where many research has to be carried out. The program was designed

using “Visual Basic” version 6.0

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgement iv

Abstract vi

Table of contents ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Statement of problems 2

1.2 Aims and objectives 3

1.3 Scope of the study 6

1.4 Limitations of the study 6

1.5 Definition of terms 7

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review 12

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Description and Analysis of Existing System 17

3.1 Fact finding method 19

3.2 Background of case study 21

3.3 Objectives of existing system 23

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3.4 Input process, output analysis 24

3.5 Information flow diagram 28

3.6 Problems of existing system 29

3.7 Justification of existing system 31

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Design and implementation 33

4.1 Output specification and design 36

4.2 Input specification and design 41

4.3 File design 44

4.4 Procedure chart 48

4.5 System requirement 50

4.6 Implementation 53

4.7 Program design 54

4.8 Program flow chart 56

4.9 Test Run 64

4.10 Documentation 65

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Conclusion and recommendation

5.1 Conclusion

5.2 Recommendation

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CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

To understand the web-based legal practitioner application

system, it includes not merely the profession, which is practiced in

courts but also covers law teaching, law research, administration in

different branches where law plays a role and in fact, commercial

and industrial employment and all other activities, which postulates

and requires the use of legal knowledge and skill and which adopts

legal process also fall within its scope. The web based legal

practitioner comprises all those who use technical legal knowledge

through net in performing their various occupational roles. These

will include such categories as practitioners of law and legal

advisers, judges and magistrates, Area court Judges and Islamic

Court Judges, academic lawyers and scholars, legal technicians

(e.g. consultants) etc.

A legal practitioner is a person entitled to practice as a

barrister (advocate) or as a barrister and solicitor. In Nigeria, every

legal practitioner is a barrister and solicitors. For example, an

advocate practicing in a country whose legal system is similar to

that of Nigeria may be permitted by the chief justice of Nigeria to

practice as a barrister. The chief justice has no power to permit him

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to practices as a solicitor. Furthermore, a senior Advocate of

Nigeria is not entitled to practice as a solicitor.

1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The problem statement is mainly centralized on the existing

method of wed-based legal practitioner application system. The

information obtained on-line, shows that a legal practitioner is

entitled to recover his charges by action in a court of competent

jurisdiction. In General, before a legal practitioner brings such

action, a bill for the charges containing particulars of the principal

items included in the bill and signed by him, or in the case of a firm

by one of the partners or in the name of the firm, must have been

served on the client personally or left for him at his last address as

known to the practitioner or sent by post addressed to the client at

that address.

In addition, the period of one month beginning with the date

of delivery of the bill must have expired. There are provisions in

the legal practitioners for taxation of bills of charges delivered by

legal practitioner to his clients.

The council is to be consulted by the Attorney-General of the

federation before making regulations for the enrolment as legal

practitioners in Nigeria, Court of Appeal Enugu as a case study,

members of the legal profession in any other country on a

reciprocal basis.

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The Attorney – General of the federation is also required to

hold consultations with the council before varying the rates of

practicing fees specified.

1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The web-based legal practitioner application system has an

increasingly important role in a modern state not only in

dispensation of justice but also in the formulation of a just legal

order and in the preservation of an efficient juristic order.

The characteristics of the on-line legal practitioner such as

independence, integrity, official administration of courts and

administration of justice.

There is a roll of legal practitioners kept as a roll of court and

maintained by the chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

In general, a person is entitled to be enrolled if and only if:

(a) He has been called to the bar by the body of Benchers; and

(b) He produces a certificate of his call to the Bar to the Chief

Registrar of Supreme Court.

In general, persons whose names are on the roll of legal

practitioners kept as a roll of court and maintained by the chief

Register of the Supreme Court are entitled to practice as barristers

and solicitors. However, the chief justice of Nigeria may, by

warrant under his hand authorize a person, whose name is not on

the roll, on payment to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of

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such fee not exceeding 50 Naira as may be specified in the warrant,

to practice as a barrister for the purpose of specified proceedings

and of any appeal brought in connection with those proceedings.

The power of the chief justice to authorise a person to practise

as a barrister under this provision is exercisable where:

(a) an application for permission to practice as a barrister is made to

the chief justice by or on behalf of any person who in the

opinion of the chief justice is entitled to practice as an advocate

in any country where the legal system is similar to that of

Nigeria; and

(b) The chief justice is of the opinion that it is expedient to permit

the person to practice as a barrister for the purpose of

proceedings with respect to which the application is brought.

Furthermore, a person for the time being exercising the

functions of any of the following offices is entitled to practice as a

barrister and solicitor for the purposes of the office:

(a) The office of the Attorney-General, solicitor-General or

Director of public prosecutions of the federation or of a state;

and

(b) Such offices in the public service of the federation or a state as

the Attorney-General of the federation or of the state, as the

case may be.

OBJECTIVES OF SYSTEM:

The objectives include:

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o The legal practitioner application system is a research and

learning application system, in that lawyers and judges

studying about cases on-line.

o The maintenance of a respectful attitude toward the court is

been made.

o Making references on different cases by some judges and

lawyers, considering the fact-finding information displayed

on a related cases on web.

o The situations where cases are adjourned are made known to

the public who are interested on those involved in the case

through on-line system information.

o Judgment is being concluded or made available to other

practitioners on-line, either in favour or against, depending

on the crime committed.

However, the program goes further to do all this:-

(i) Updating data very fast without requiring much effort.

(ii) Physical security of data as well as prevention from

unauthorized access of information is improved.

(iii) Capability of being operated over a long time without

corruption.

(iv) Fast data capturing and processing of data for all

networks or from a workstation to a remote station.

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(v) However, the system must be interactive and user

friendly.

(vi) To allow direct entry of data as they are being imputed.

(vii) The on-line legal practitioner application system will

produce computer accurate information that can be used

for decision-making or for future references.

1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study focuses on creating an online web based legal

practitioner application system; through this medium the exhausting

use of manual procedures in documenting court activities are

overhauled creating a more accurate and time saving system of

documentation, and making the activities of the court easily

accessible.

For instance; the judgment of cases entered into the

application can be viewed or consulted upon by a legal practitioner

before preparing for a similar case.

1.4 LIMITATIONS

The system is a supposed to be more like a legal database,

hence the major constraints was time. The system requires much

time to build huge database of cases which legal practitioners can

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make reference to. The system is a complex one hence it requires

proper training on how to use it effectively.

High speed Internet is another limitation. For proper

implementation of this work, a high speed internet broadband is

needed.

1.5 DEFINITION OF TERMS

The Council: This is established by the legal education, and is

responsible for the legal education of persons seeking to become

members of the legal profession.

The Chief Justice: He is to authorize a person whose name is not on

the roll, on payment to the Chief Registrar of the supreme court of

such fee not exceeding 50 naira as may be specified in the warrant.

A Barrister: His purpose is to specify proceedings and of any

appeal brought in connection with those proceedings.

The Disciplinary Committee: They consider and determines any

case once it is alleged that a person whose name is on the roll of

legal practitioner has misbehaved in his capacity as a legal

practitioner or should for any other reason be the subject of

proceedings.

Appeal Committee: Hears appeals from any direction given by the

disciplinary committee.

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General Council of the Bar: Prepares and from time to time,

revising a statement as to the kind of conduct it considers to be

infamous conduct in a professional respect.

A Lawyer: A lawyer maintains a respectful attitude towards the

court. He is trained and qualified to advice people about the law

and represent them in a court of law.

The Judiciary: He settles and decides controversies between the

citizens inter se and between the state and the citizens.

The Nigerian Courts: Are the supreme court of Nigeria, the court of

Appeal, (and of recent a constitutional court); the federal High

Court, a High Court of a state, a sharia Court of Appeals of a state;

a customary court of Appeal of a state and such court as may be

authorized by law to exercise jurisdiction on matters with respect to

which the National Assembly or State House of Assembly (as the

case may be) are authorized to make laws. A law court is a

statutory place for proper interpretation of law to resolve disputes

and conflict.

Judges: They should indeed move in the direction of the

jurisprudence of welfare and adopt a judicial approach that

identifies the political, social and economic problems facing the

country and using the law to provide solutions to these problems.

They lead in the proceedings. He has the authority to decide on

offenders.

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Litigation: This is a process of making or defending a claim in a

court of law.

Appellant: Is one who takes a case to the court. He is the

complainant.

Respondent: This is one who is defending in a claim; he is

responding to the complaint.

Case list: These are scheduling of cases to be heard by the court on

the following day.

Appeal: This can be a formal request to a court of law for a

judgment to be passed on an issue.

Motion: In a court, it is application to a court or judge for a ruling

or order.

Proceedings: This is an activity carried in a law court in a bid to

settle a dispute.

The Registrar: This is a person in the law court that makes entries

in the file i.e. what happens in the court each day. He signs as the

commissioner of oats, compile record or appeals, and access

documents and certify them.

Clerk: This can be a person in the court who is in charge of the

records of the court.

Court Bailiff: This is a person in the court that serves processes like

messengers.

Case Book: Is a book where all cases are recorded, details of each

case like names of parties involved in the case, case number

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(charge number), the name of the high court where the case came

from, etc. are recorded in this book-including writ of summon.

Writ of Summon: Is like a form of details of the names of the

litigants, the case number etc. it is served to the defendant letting

him to know that he has a case and asking him to enter for an

appearance.

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CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

This is considering the fact that, the on-line legal practitioner

information was really difficult to enco-operate. However, with the

modern technology, it has being made to be easy and

understandable for users and those concerned. Since computer and

communication has made this world a global village, legal

practitioner information system becomes very important not to

practitioners alone but to every user that wants to get legal

information.

However, we have gone far and beyond to enco-operate a lot

of information for practitioners depending on the type of

information needed, like the latest case in town, the appellant, the

respondent, who the case judged, who is the magistrate, where the

case was adjourned to and other information needed.

Possibilities of taking the law court procedures has being unidirectionally

viewed by people. Michael R. Arkfeld, in his write-up “On-line

Technology tools for litigation and the law officer why use them and what

are they?” Is of the view that it is not what the practice of law entails, that

it does not measure of a lawyer but often times measure how much paper

he or she has shuffled. He tried to proffer a solution to the situation by

stating that, “The only viable solution to these problems is to control your

case information using the combination of papers and on-line (digital)

information management technology. Digital controlling case

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information means converting papers and other analysis information into

a digital format and using computers to store, access, retrieve, organize,

print and send this information easily and instantaneously in effect

creating on-line digital electronic trial note book.

Palmer Dick, in his own contributions says that on-line case management

systems perform simple and repetitive tasks faster with greater accuracy

at a lower cost than doing it manually. He continues that on-line case

management system will maintain a schedule of trials, assign judges,

attorneys and witnesses for the case and even date for which the trials are

scheduled. It will aid in excellent on-line court management controls

simplify storage and retrieval of the date essential for daily on-line court

operation. He ended saying that likely impacts of automating on-line

management could be summarised thus;

(i) The filling process will be made easier on-line.

(ii) The advocate/litigants need not wait for a long time in the

queue – will be eradicated by using the on-line method.

(iii) The amount collected towards court fee in a day will

automatically be calculated thus saving time of court official.

(iv) Filming process will be orderly and globally viewed.

(v) The on-line system saves time and efforts of advocates and

court officials.

There is no doubt that the on-line automation of the law court

scheduling system will be beneficial to the legal profession, even in

the area of cost, it will be drastically reduced considering that the

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use of tools such as pen, file folders, file cabinets, paper, legal pads

and notebooks that are used to manage. Case materials will be

reduced and even the use of some of them will be stopped.

Barrister Nwaonye of world legal practitioner, Nigeria, in his

own view affirms that this on-line automation is what every lawyer

really needs, even in this time when the number of cases is

increasing and lawyers now have a lot of work in their hands. He

even said that this will improve the services that are being rendered

to the clients i.e. the litigants. In line with this, Barrister Mrs.

Anyamulu of the court of appeal Enugu maintains that introducing

on-line management of cases would really be a very big relief

especially to them that are lawyers. She went to say that this will

increase the efficiency of lawyers in their duties and actually make

them to always want to give quality service to their clients. Even to

the registrars, he said that the work in the law court would be eased

off. This is because the introduction of on-line legal practitioner

information system would make the size of their work to be

reduced and also the number of papers they handle even in a day

will be reduced. Finally, Barrister Mrs. Anyamulu said that even

for the court clerks who are concerned with taking charge of

records, that their work will be reduced i.e. because of the fact that

records will now be kept very safely in on-line information system,

where they will be protected from harm and then there would be

ease in handling them.

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All the benefits that are being anticipated from the on-line

court proceedings and information system is possible because of

what the computer can be used to do while on-line. This on-line

just like Mr. Ugwu Oliver said in his book “Management

Information System” is

(i) Information can be transferred within a second.

(ii) We can store large amount of information and handle large

amount of work.

(iii) On-line information system has proved beyond every

reasonable doubt that it is very reliable and to be even in the

anticipated capabilities.

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CHAPTER THREE

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF EXISTING SYSTEM

On-line legal practitioner’s information system is being

incorporated for its flexibility. However, our case study is particularly on

Appeal Court. In that we realise that in appeal court they do not handle

fresh case; rather a case that has been judged that the appellant felt he or

she is not satisfied with the case in the High Court. The Court of Appeal

hear appeal both in civil and criminal cases from other higher courts,

criminal cases are cases from the police to the court while the civil cases

are cases between a client and the government.

In the Appeal Court of Enugu, there can be ten (10) cases to be

heard in every sitting from Monday – Thursday from 9.00am in which

two of the cases are appealed and eight are motions. In all, three weeks in

the month are used for sitting while the remaining one week is used for

conference week. Cases are only heard if the parties are present and if not

it is postponed till some other time.

The current method of operation in the court of appeal daily

scheduling system is basically digital but not on-line. This requires the

complex involvement of too many data not to be processed by different

individuals when a client (Appellant) brings a case to the court, the court

clerk opens a case file for it and a case number is given, the appellant then

pays a particular fee to the court. This case is then registered by the

registrar in the system database containing the name of the parties writ of

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summon, details of the case. After which a suitable data will then be

fixed for hearing of the case in the court.

The court bailiff then takes a writ of summon to the respondent

who then acknowledges it to show that it has been served.

On the day of hearing, there will be five (5) judges there with one

of the presiding judge, lawyer, Registrar, mace bearer, senior Advocate (if

there is any involved), the litigants, etc. The presiding judge calls a case

by its suite numbers only if there is no senior Advocate with a case. The

Lawyers/Appellant then comes up for their case to be heard. At the end

of the sitting, the judges record what has happened in the court that day in

the system database, the registrar also make entries in file what has

happened in court on that day. After hearing if the case is to be

adjourned, the judge will say so and then fix a date for the next hearing

and if judgment is to be passed, the presiding judge also fix a date for the

judgment.

3.1 FACT FINDING METHOD

Considering the fact that on-line legal practitioner

information system was really successful, I was able to realise my

goal with some method of fact findings technique used in gathering

information about the activities taking place in the Appeal Court

was mainly by interview and observation method.

INTERVIEW METHOD

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This is a face-to-face talk in which questions were being

asked and answered immediately. The writers interviewed the

Appeal Court staff more especially those working at the litigation

section. The plans for the future all co-operated and gave useful

information to the researchers.

OBSERVATION METHOD

In this method, you observe things done with your eyes. The

writers were able to observe some of the dealings in court. The

information gathered in all is summarised this;

(i) The appellant has to file a case for there to be a hearing and

the respondent must be informed.

(ii) Each case must have a suite numbers.

(iii) The Appeal Court is a conducive place for the person who is

aggrieved and needs justice to be done.

(iv) There can be ten (10) cases in every sitting, which is made

up of two appeals and eight motions.

(v) At the end of each proceeding, it must be registered in the

record book by the registrar.

(vi) Due to the manual system used, too many files are opened

for each case.

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3.2 BACKGROUND OF CASE STUDY

The Court of Appeal is the second highest in Nigeria. It is

next to Supreme Court. It was formed in 1976 and called federal

Court of Appeal then. The Enabling Act establishing the court is

referred to as Federal Court of Appeal Act 1976, which came into

effect in 1st October 1976. Initially, the number of justices of the

Court plus the president of the court was fixed at 36. In the order

of judicial precedence, the president shall rank equal to the justice

of Supreme Court and the other justice of the court shall rank next

to the justice of Supreme Court. The court started with 3 judicial

divisions of Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu followed by additional

division later at Ibadan, and Benin in June 1977. Port Harcourt

stated in July 1989, Jos in January 1982, Abuja in 1996, Calabar

and Ilorin in 1999 (February, of which is the 10 as of today. The

number of justices was fixed at 36 (Act No. 43 1976) in 1976, by

the amendment in 95 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. The

number increased to 41, 1993 a further amendment raised it to 50;

section 237 retained it at 50. Both in civil and criminal cases from

Federal High Court of State, Court of Appeal hear appeals. The

Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja, the Sharia Court of

Appeal of state, including Abuja code of conduct tribunal as well as

election tribunal, particularly with regards to the National

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Assembly Election tribunals, the legislature and governorship

houses election tribunal.

A presiding judge is in charge of operations and day-to-day

management of the division in each of the 10 divisions. They have

a deputy chief registrar who is in charge of the administration of the

division who serves as the accounting officer. There is a registry of

filing, papers in each division relating to appeals and other matters

that requires the determination of the court. There is the

department of general administration, the finance and library

sections. A senior officer; who supervises the operation of the

section, heads each of the sections and reports to the Deputy Chief

Registrar who in turn keeps the presiding judge informed of the day

to day goings in the division.

There is the office of the president of the court at the head

quarter. All presiding justice report to the president and keep him

informed of the goings in their divisions at the headquarters. There

is also the office of the chief registrar who is the accounting officer

of the court. He relates with the deputy registrars of the divisions

who reports to him and he in turn reports to the president. At the

Headquarter, there are Head of Department, which includes

finance, and supplies, administration Audit and Library. These

heads of Department; report directly to the registrar.

This research work, focus on the court of Appeal Enugu,

located at industrial layout, P. M. B. 1416, Enugu. Court of Appeal

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refers to court of unity, where you find learned judges coming from

different backgrounds and cultures working together in harmony in

the promotion of administration of justice in the country.

3.3 OBJECTIVES OF EXISTING SYSTEM

This Existing system of the Appeal has some set of functions

to achieve, which was established to cater for the following areas.

(i) Resolving disputes between two or more people.

(ii) It helps to interpret the law to the people after the senate has

created it.

(iii) It is a place of unity.

(iv) It promotes the administration of justice in a country.

3.4 INPUT, PROCESS, OUTPUT ANALYSIS

This system is designed to be scalar time interpretative

process; accepted inputs are processed by the system to produce

outputs through the set instruction.

INPUT ANALYSIS

The input makes processing very successful. The input

required for processing in the court includes: Appellant

information, case file, court information judgment.

INPUT ELEMENT

APPELLANT INFORMATION

Name: XXXX

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Occupation: XXXX

Address: XXXX

Medical Report: XXXX

Case Reported: XXXX

Name of Defaulter: XXXX

CASE FILE

Name of parties: XXXX

Charge/case summon: XXXX

Writ of involved: XXXX

Property involved: XXXX

Detail of the case: XXXX

Location of Occurrence: XXXX

Date: XXXX

PROCESS ANALYSIS

Actions are carried out on the various inputs highlighted in

the input analysis. The process analysis looks at the different

processing operations on the input, which includes;

Appellant information: This contains information gotten from

the client to enable them process the case.

Case file: It contains information about the parties involved in

the case and how information can reach the other party.

Court Information: It contains information of the parties and

those that will be present in court.

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Judgment: It contains information on what happened in court

and the verdict reached in the court.

OUTPUT ANALYSIS

The output analysis from the input serves as an easy access to

things done in court. The Appellant information helps one to know

who came in with the case. The case file enables the court to know

the parties involved and when the case will be heard. The court

information shows those to be present on the day of hearing. The

judgment is to enable one to know the result of the case.

OUTPUT ELEMENTS FOR OUTPUT ANALYSIS

The output elements for analysing the output consist of the

following:

COURT INFORMATION

Litigant Names: XXXX

Date: XXXX

Location of occurrence: XXXX

Case Number: XXXX

Lawyers’ Name: XXXX

Judges Name: XXXX

JUDGMENT

Litigation Names: XXXX

Date: XXXX

Judges: XXXX

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APPELLANT

TAKES CASE TO COURT

CLERK

Open files for cases

REGISTRAR

Register case in a cause book

COURT BAILIFF

WRIT OF SUMMON

Lawyers: XXXX

Date Adjourned: XXXX

Judgment Reached: XXXX

3.5 INFORMATION FLOW DIAGRAM

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3.6 PROBLEM OF EXISTING SYSTEM

The analysis of the existing systems really has exposed some

problems in the law court.

This system has not really lived up to expectants in the

following ways.

TIME CONSUMING

Due to the manual preparation and controlling of a case for

litigation or for other legal purposes, so many tools like pens, legal

pads, file folders and notebooks have been used to manage case

materials. Other things delay proceedings and justice, and time

spent in typing documents to be used. It takes time to gather all the

necessary papers and files to be sited in the court when a case is

called up, which means that, cases that were to last for a year ends

up in two to three years. Therefore, it does not allow many to be

heard in a day.

EXPENSIVE

This is expensive, since many tools like paper, pen, file

cabinets, legal pads etc. are needed in preparing for a case. Some

paper work may not be needed at the end of the day, thereby

wasting resources. Many files are opened of which may not be

needed again and may be thrown aside.

INFORMATION HANDLING

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Manually controlling papers is drudgery and it is not what

the practice of law is all about it does not measure the “worth” of a

lawyer but often times measure how much paper he/she has

shuffled. To spend more time analysing information and less time

looking for it, the goal should be. However, it is getting more

difficult analysing information, since so much information has to be

generated manually each day including papers and other

documents. This result in loss of vital information needed for a

case, the delay of justice to be carried out and also the number of

cases to be handled in a day.

IMPROPER FILING

This process of filling is not orderly and it makes information

supplied difficult to know where a particular file is at all times and

being able to access information instantly is a problem. All this

results in justice delay.

CALCULATION OF COURT FEE

The appeal court has to make returns to the high court and in

doing this due to so many paper work involved, it makes it very

difficult to be able to calculate the fee collected.

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3.7 JUSTIFICATION FOR A NEW SYSTEM

The need for a new system came up after studying the

existing system, realising its lapses and the problems encountered

in its processing. However, the online legal practitioner

information system will help to rectify most of this problems and

improve in the method of accessing the information stored and the

distribution online so that at all point in the global village,

information can be reached. The new system will achieve the

following:-

i) Reliability :- The system online will be more reliable in the

sense that it will be able to handle large volume of data without

mudding of data and data loss. This system will be consistent

in terms of information supplied, if the same request is made

several times.

ii) Efficiency : The online system will be more efficient in terms of

processing and output of information, the output will be

accurate, time conscious, comprehensive, less expensive and

legible.

iii) Practicability : The online system will have ability of working

for a long period of time without breaking down and also

competent personnel will be employed to operate the system.

iv) Security : The online legal practitioner information system will

allow only authorised persons to have access to information in

files. This will guard against intruders that may want to steal

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some vital information pr documents out. This will be

accomplished with the use of a password.

v) Update : Information can be updated from any part of the globe

as long as it is networked to all appeal court.

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CHAPTER FOUR

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION

The design of the new system was due to the fact that the

committee agreed on the design of an online legal practitioner, due to the

cumbersome method of evaluating the digital and manual system of court

information.

The online legal practitioner system is designed to accept an

expected input and output that will be worked upon. The purpose of this

design is to produce specification that will enable a complete and accurate

implementation of Network information from different system all over the

country without going back to design for more information.

Online Legal information system has put to an end the under listed

problems associated with manual system.

Lack of document distribution

Accessibility of record

Poor communication

High cost of production

Time consuming

Court fee calculation

However, the online legal practice system is precised and easily

understandable, because it adopt a modular programming

system which means the program are in modules and can easily

be troubleshot or debugged with the program codes.

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4.1 OUTPUT SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN

The output specification of the on-line legal practitioner is

subdivided into five specifications. These output specifications are

as follows:

(1) The report about respondent: - This was developed with a grid.

The report that is captured details about those involved in the

case which are:- However, it is under litigation report>

The serial number

The name of the respondent

The case number of the respondent

The occupation of the respondent

The medical report of the respondent

The address of the respondent

The properties involved

The detail of case.

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THE RESPONDENT REPORT

S/No Case No. Occupation Med.

Rep

Address Prop.

Involved

Detail

of case

Date of

Resp.

1 9999 Occupation Med.

Rep

9999 9999 9999 9999

2 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999

(2) The Report about Appellant:- this displays information in a

grid form about the appellant which are:-

The serial number of the appellant

The name of the appellant

The case number of the appellant

The occupation of the appellant

The medical report

The address of the appellant

The properties involved

The date of appeal.

THE APPELLANT REPORT

S/No Name Case

No.

Occupation Med.

Report

Address Prop.

Invol.

Date of

Appeal

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1 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999

2 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999 9999

(3) Case Report: this enables the user to view information about

the court case. And those involved:

The serial number

The name of appellant

The case number

The location of occurrence

The date of hearing

The judge

The lawyer

The date of adjourned to

The judgment

THE CASE REPORT

S/No Appeal

Name

Resp.

Name

Case

No.

Loc of

Occur

Date of

Hearing

Judg

e

Lawyer Date of

Adjourn

Judgment

1 Name Name 9999 Locat. dd/mm/yy Nam

e

Name dd/mm/

yy

Judgemen

t

2 Name Name 9999 Locat. dd/mm/yy Nam

e

Name dd/mm/

yy

Judgemen

t

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(4) Report of Judgment of case: - this returns field concerning the

hearing of the case and the judgment reached. This includes:-

The serial number of the judgment

The appellant name

The respondent name

The case number

The location of occurrence

The date of hearing

The judge

The lawyer

The date adjourn

The judgment reached.

THE JUDGMENT REPORT

S/No Case No. Location of

occurrence

Date of

hearing

Judge Lawyer Date

Adjourned

Judgment

Reached

1 9999 Locat. dd/

mm/yy

Name Name dd/mm/yy Judgement

2 9999 Locat. dd/

mm/yy

Name Name dd/mm/yy Judgement

(5) The Adjourned case: This is the returns field concerning the

hearing of the case and the judgment reached. It enables the

user to view information about the adjourned case. This

includes:-

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The serial number

The Appellant name

The Respondent name

The case number

The date adjourned

The date of hearing

The judge

The lawyer

THE ADJOURNED CASE REPORT

S/No Appeal

name

Respondent

name

Case

No

Date

Adjourned

Date of

hearing

Judge Lawyer Detail

of case

1 Name Name 9999 dd/mm/yy dd/

mm/yy

Name Name Info.

2 Name Name 9999 dd/mm/yy dd/

mm/yy

Name Name Info.

4.2 INPUT SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN

The input specification and Design consist of the litigant of

on-line legal practitioner, which is the (appellant and the

respondent) information field and details to be kept in the case

record.

(1) The respondent entry, which are:-

The name of Respondent

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The case number

The occupation

The medical report

The address

The property involved

The detail of case

The date of respondent entry

(2) The Appellant entry are

The name of the Appellant

The case number

The occupation

The medical report

The address

The property involved

The detail of case

The date of appellant

(3) The Case Entry

The name of respondent

The name of appellant

The case number

The location of occurrence

The date of hearing

The judge

The lawyer

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The date adjourned to

The judgment

(4) The Judge Data Entry:-

The name of respondent

The name of appellant

The case number

The location of occurrence

The date of hearing

The judge

The lawyer

The date

The judgment reached.

(5) The Adjourn Case Data Entry

The name of respondent

The name of appellant

The case number

The detail of case

The Lawyer

The Judge

The Date Adjourned

Date of hearing

(6) Password change: this is only for system Administrators

INPUT MEDIA

xxxviii

The keyboard consoles are the method of entering data into

the input specification for input entry on on-line legal practitioner

information system. Data required during the process of the online

legal practitioner information system are entered through the

keyboard console. The information processed Data records are

stored in the data based under the control of system administrator.

4.3 FILE DESIGN

In order that computer may carry out the operation

enumerated efficiently, file would be created according to the

topics available. This section deals with how these files are to be

organized and accessed. A file can easily be defined as a group of

related records organized for a particular purpose.

Design: Can easily be said to be the process of depending on the

technically operational specification of a system for

implementation. This section describes all input data base files and

the program files.

File name: Case file

The variables that are found in this case file when attended work

has been done to be published in the online legal practitioners

information where by each attendant secured in a password. So the

variables are field, field type, field name, field length as shown

below.

Field Type Field name Length

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Name of

respondent

Character Name Resp I 20

Name of

Appellant

Character Name Appeal I 20

Case Number Integer Case No 7

Location of

occurrence

Character Loc of occur I 15

Date of

Hearing

Date Date of

Hearing

10

Judge Character Judge I 15

Lawyer Character Lawyer I 15

Date

Adjourned to

Date Dat of Adj I 10

Judgment Character Judgment 50

FILE NAME: JUDGMENT FILE

The judgment file contains information about the outcome of the case.

The variables involved are as showed in the diagram below as the file

description.

Field Field type Field name Length

The name of

Respondent

Character Name Resp 2 20

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Name of

Appellant

Character Name appeal 2 20

Case number Integer Case No 7

Location of

occurrence

Character Loc of occur 2 15

Date of hearing Date Date of hearing

2

10

Judge Character Judge 2 15

Lawyer Character Lawyer 2 15

Date Date Date 10

Judgment

Reached

Character Judgment

Reached

20

FILE NAME: Adjourned Case file

These are cases that were adjourned to a later date which has variables as

shown in the file description below:

Field Field type Field name Length

Name of

Respondent

Character Name Resp 20

Name of

Appellant

Character Name appeal 20

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Case number Integer Case No 7

Detail of case Character Det of case Memo

Lawyer Character Lawyer 15

Judge Character Judge 15

Date Adjourned Date Dat Adjoun 10

Date of hearing Date Date of Hear 10

5.1 PROGRAM DESIGN

This program is divided into modules that handle the

essential unique operations that is to say that no two modules are

the same in task execution; some of these modules are main

modules, input modules, output module, login module, registration

modules and operation module.

The main modules:- It is not a program, but a module that is link to

other subordinate modules which are the input, the output and

operation modules.

File Creation Module: This section takes care of the topic coded in

the program. Long time module is the one that takes care of the

daily operations applied in the legal practitioner’s information

system.

Input Module:- This takes care of the daily activities that were

executed; individual basics which are the appellant modules,

respondent modules, case modules, the adjourned case modules, the

lawyer modules and the magistrate modules all is contributed to the

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LOG IN

IS PASS WORD CORRECT

REGISTRATION

IS ID CORRECT

DISPLAY BROWSERS FORM MAIN MENU

START

USE YOUR ID

YOU WANT TO READ LEGAL NEWS

DISPLAY OF LEGAL NEWS

YESNO

NO

daily activities on the input modules. A useful tool which aided in

the evolution of workable program is the flow chart from which the

program was coded and upon which the program is based as

illustrated below:-

5.2 PROGRAM FLOW CHART

xliii

SELECT OPTIONOPTION A = FILEOPTION B = DATE OTHER OPTION C = OPERATIONOPTION D = REPORTOPTION E = WINDOWOPTION F = HELP

IS OPTION A?

IS OPTION B?

A

YES

YES

NO

IS OPTION C?

NO

IS OPTION D?

NO

IS OPTION E?

NO

IS OPTION F?

NO

STOP

B

YES C

D

E

F

xliv

A

SELECT OPTION

OPTION 1 = OPENOPTION 2 = EXIT

IS OPTION 1?

IS OPTION 2?

RETURN

DISPLAY THE OPEN DIALOGUE WINDOW

EXIT THE PROGRAM

YES

YES

xlv

B

SELECT OPTIONOPTION 1 = LITIGATIONOPTION 2 = CASEOPTION 3 = JUDGMENTOPTION 4 = ADJOURNEDOPTION 5 = CHANGE PASSWORD

IS OPTION 1?

IS OPTION 2?

IS OPTION 3?

IS OPTION 4?

IS OPTION 5?

RETURN

SELECT OPTIONSOPTION 6 = APPELLANTOPTION 7 = RESPONDENT

IS OPTION 6?

IS OPTION 7?

DISPLAY APPELLANT FORM

DISPLAY RESPONDENT FORM

RETURN

DISPLAY THE CASE FORM FOR INPUT

DISPLAY THE JUDGMENT FORM

DISPLAY THE ADJOURNED CASE FORM

DISPLAY THE CHANGE PASSWORD FORM

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

YES

xlvi

C

SELECT OPTIONOPTION 1 = SEARCHOPTION 2 = DELETE RECORDOPTION 3 = BACK UP

IS OPTION 1?

IS OPTION 2?

IS OPTION 3?

RETURN

SEARCH FOR RECORD AND SHOW IT

SEARCH FOR RECORD AND SHOW IT

SEARCH FOR RECORD AND SHOW IT

NO

YES

YES

YES

NO

NO

xlvii

DISPLAY REPORT ABOUT LITIGATION

D

SELECT OPTIONOPTION 1 = LITIGATIONOPTION 2 = CASEOPTION 3 = JUDGMENTOPTION 4 = ADJOURNED

IS OPTION 1?

IS OPTION 2?

IS OPTION 3?

IS OPTION 4?

RETURN

DISPLAY REPORT ABOUT LITIGATION

DISPLAY REPORT ABOUT LITIGATION

DISPLAY REPORT ABOUT LITIGATION

NO

NO

NO

NO

YES

YES

YES

YES

xlviii

E

SELECTION OPTIONOPTION 1 = ARRANGE ICONOPTION 2 = CASCADEOPTION 3 = TITLE HORIZONTALLYOPTION 4 = TITLE VERTICALLY

IS OPTION 1?

IS OPTION 2?

IS OPTION 3?

IS OPTION 4?

YES

YES

YES

YES

NO

NO

NO

NO

ARRANGE THE ICONS

ARRANGE THE WINDOWS IN A CASCADE FORM

ARRANGE MULTIPLE WINDOWS IN A TITLE HORIZONTAL FORM

VERTICALLY ARRANGE THE WINDOWS IN TILES

xlix

F

SELECT OPTIONOPTION 1 = ABOUT THE AUTHOROPTION 2 = HOW TO …OPTION 3 = SYSTEM INFORMATION

IS OPTION 1?

IS OPTION 2?

IS OPTION 3?

RETURN

DISPLAY INFORMATION ABOUT THE APPLICATION AND THE AUTHOR

DISPLAY HELP INFORMATION IN A TREE FORMAT

DISPLAY INFORMATION ABOUT THE SYSTEM AND CONFIGURATION

NO

NO

NO

YES

YES

YES

l

Appellant Arrives in court

Court clerk opens a case file

The Registrar register the case

A Court bailiff takes a writ of summon to the respondent

The respondent acknowledges the receipt of the writ of summon

The court gathers information and fix date of hearing.

Litigants appearance in court

Judgment reached or case adjourned

4.4 PROCEDURE CHART

This involves the method and manner in which information

is processed from the appellant day of arriving in the court to the

judgment reached or case adjourned, which involved the simple

procedure in a chart form shown below.

li

4.5 SYSTEM REQUIREMENT

The online legal practitioner information system, for good

and better processing and reliability of its effectiveness, certain

hardware requirement are needed which are:

Hardware requirement: - A standard computer and other

peripheral devices that can be connected to its system

unit, due considerations should be given to the hardware

requirement is the basics that the software will operate in

the specification.

(1) The Hardware component involves:

A hard disk of 1.2 Gig and above strong capacity

A CPU with 66 MHz and above processor speed.

101 keyboard.

An SvGA color display unit

Network interface card.

And must be networked

(2) The software which helps to coordinate the activities of solving

problems at hand should be able to interact with a suitable

operating system which should be best known to the analyst.

This includes:

Suitable operating system like window ax and NT.

Visual Basic 6.0 version and above.

lii

(3) The site for installation is also an important factor to be

considered that is where the system will be secured or protected.

Such site should be prepared for a proper functioning of the

system. There should be good electrification in the site because

the new system cannot work without this.

(4) Environmental Requirement:- The environment required for the

new system will include:-

A big room

Wall to wall rugging

Fully air-conditioned

Fluorescent bulbs

Fire extinguishers

Uninterrupted power supply (UPS)

System dust coats

Plastic disk packs

etc.

liii

IMPLEMENTATION

After the design of the various input and output forms and file

layout specifications, it is necessary to program and implement the new

system with an appropriate programming language. In this case, I

consider the process involved in programming, which is the program

testing and implementation.

The online legal practitioner application system is one in which a

web based application is built where cases are registered online by

entering a new case in the “Register new case” section which includes the

case number, the case title, the prosecutor and the respondents involved in

the case, the date which the case is filed, the date set aside for hearing of

the case and the judge presiding over the case.

When the case has been concluded the results of the case is keyed

into the “Enter final judgment” section where the case number, the case

title, the prosecutor and respondent, the date for filing the case and the

date of the delivered judgment and the judgment that was reached with the

presiding judge name are all entered.

Anyone who has access to the online legal practitioner application system

can view the cases and the judgment reached on the respective cases

online.

5.3 TEST RUN

The program codes have been tested and confirmed reliable

by a group of software development, which gives me this

liv

confidence of achieving this legal practitioner on the program

(project)

However, after coding the program, it is of great important to

test the program with sample data having a predetermined output.

The output from the system is then compared with the

predetermined manual layout to see if there is any discrepancy

between them. It is also necessary to use erroneous data to test

program to ensure that the error routine and data verification

procedures are working effectively. All this been tested and

confirmed reliably.

lv

CHAPTER SIX

DOCUMENTATION

This documentation is given a detailed report of all the information

necessary to provide the user with the understanding of the purpose and

how to use the designed program on system as to achieve its objectives.

This helps in carrying out further research and improvement on the

system. And also information about the new system and its working

procedure are outlined so that modification can be done in the system

without studying the entire system. In view of this, the documentation of

this project is done in two sections namely.

Identification

User information

The identification entails the title of the project and course

statement of its function.

Program ID: Online legal practitioner application system

Authors: Immaculater

Purpose: To organize and manipulate information in legal

practitioner application system

Date Written: August, 2016

Program language: VB 6.0 (Visual Basic 6.0)

Operating system support: Windows o/s (Windows 7, Windows

8, Windows 10).

User information

lvi

The program is menu driven; the menu has options that guide

users on every step. To run this program effectively the

following steps are to be followed.

To start the program:

Boot the computer to window

At the windows, click the < start > icon, select run.

Browse and select the drive where the executable is

Click ok command button to begin the program.

The program will start automatically. Here, you are required

to login correctly before you are taken to the working

environment. The password is checked i.e. verified to check if

it is correct, before access is allowed.

The user guide or help file that explains the functions of each

menu command is incorporated into the software. This serves

as a guide for both illiterate and literate users.

DOCUMENTATION OF ONLINE LEGAL

PRACTITIONER APPLICATION SYSTEM IN A HARD

DISK

The most present and best method of documentation of online

legal system in a hard disk has a lot of space but depending on

the size of the hard disk but not with standing as long as it has

at least 400 MB space, you can document your online legal

lvii

practitioner application system. It is just by making sure that

the hard disk is large enough and save.

lviii

CHAPTER FIVE

7.1 CONCLUSION

Having come to the end of this work, it has been necessary to

access the writers overall view or the daily scheduling of a legal

practitioner which is practiced in courts but also covers law

teaching, law research, administration in different branches where

law pays a role and in fact, commercial and industrial employments

and all other activities which postulate and requires the use of legal

knowledge and skill and which adopt legal process also fall within

its scope.

Looking at the legal profession, the judges, lawyers,

registrars, etc. They really pass through a lot of training and spend

so many years in the training. They therefore do not need

something that will really stress them like the struggle to handle

large papers and other materials that are used in manual control of a

case for litigation. If the section responsible for the processing of

information and materials is adequately taken care of, there would

not have been work load in the section.

No legal practitioner can function without the processing of

its materials and this is done in the section. Therefore everything

humanly possible should be done to keep this section afloat and

alive.

lix

RECOMMENDATION

The recommendation of this study springs up basically from the

outlined benefits that are achievable through the use of online system.

The author recommends that every organization should embark on online

system, especially; information and services oriented organization, as it

will help to reduce the obstacle impending the legal practitioner services.

In this case the government should implement recommendation of

the committee by passing the Legal Education Act 1962 and the Legal

Practitioners Act 1962. The Legal Education Act 1962 provided for

Legal Education in Nigeria. The Act established a council known as the

council of legal Education charged with responsibility for the legal

education of persons seeking to become members of the profession. The

council established in 1962 a law school then known as the Federal Law

School and later known as the Nigeria Law School, a school, which offers

a professional course lasting one academic year.

Finally, the author sincerely wishes to recommend the continuation

of this project work by the incoming students who are going to embark on

this project topic. This work is worthwhile and profitable to be applied.

Though the new system might be expensive due to the cost of acquiring

the system needed, technical legal knowledge through net, and overall

cost of implementing the online system information. All advantages of

use of information system are embedded, this leading to the more

effective and efficient services. In view of above, I wish to recommend

that the law court, having a higher appreciation of what the online

lx

information system is capable of should start a campaign to enlighten the

young student lawyers on how this research work can contribute to the

success in future, through this online legal practitioner website, which act

as a library to the legal practitioner.

However, it is not only for the lawyers or the honourable

gentlemen, but also for every citizen who is interested on how cases were

justified and order necessary information about any case, lawyers,

magistrate and even adjourned cases.

lxi

REFERENCES

Library of Congress. Website.

Nigeria Court of Appeal. www.court of Appeal. NG

Registrar (Litigation), Court of Appeal, Enugu (June, 2003)

Allison Sonntag. Chief Deputy Clerk Kitsap County Washington):

Washington Saves Million by Automating its Court Scheduling.

Michael, R. Arkfeld (esqa0: Technology tools for litigation and the law

office; why use them and what are they.

Barrister Nwonye B. U.

Law, Justice and Nigerian Society. Essays in Honour of Hon. Justice

Mohammed Bello – Edited by I. A. Ayua.

The Nigerian Legal System.

Akintunde Olusegun Obilade. L. L. B. (Hons) (Lagos), L. L. M.

(Harvard),

Legal Practitioner, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Lagos.

lxii