ARCHIVED - Courts Administration Service

• Previous Page
• Table of Contents
• Next Page

This page has been archived.

Section II – Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Program Activity 1:
Registry Services

Program Activity Description

The Registry Services Branch processes legal documents and applications for judicial review under the jurisdiction of the Federal Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada and the Tax Court of Canada. It also ensures proper court records management and adequate operation of the litigation and court access process.

The Service provides registry services through ten points of service across Canada and has negotiated Memoranda of Understanding with several provincial and territorial bodies for the receipt of court documents and use of courtrooms in eight additional locations.

In addition to registry points of service, the Branch includes a Modernization group that continues to work closely with Information Technology staff to develop a new common Case Management System that will incorporate technologies such as scanning of documents, electronic filing, electronic receipt of facsimiles and digital audio recording within the courtroom and that will eventually allow for complete electronic files for all courts. This group also includes an Operational Training division that provides customized in-house courses to Registry staff on the jurisdiction, rules and procedures of the various courts. A separate unit is responsible for the quasi-judicial function of assessment or taxation of costs awarded to parties.

Program Activity 1: Registry Services
Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2009-10		2010-11		2011-12
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
307	$26.3	307	$25.8	307	$25.7

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Awareness and understanding of the litigation processes in order to ensure that the public and parties have access to the Courts.	Satisfaction rate regarding the quantity and quality of information products.	To be determined based on baseline results Improvements in subsequent years
Access to the Courts through decentralized registry services.	Number of recorded entries per region Number of hearings per region	To be determined based on baseline results Improvements in subsequent years
Complete files at the time of hearings.	Satisfaction rate of the judiciary and clients with respect to the preparation of files by the registry before the hearing	To be determined based on baseline results Improvements in subsequent years

Planning Highlights

In 2009-2010, in a joint effort with the IT Division, Registry Services will complete the development and implementation of the new common Case Management System to support the four courts. It will replace two existing legacy systems in place prior to the creation of the Courts Administration Service. The common system will provide a common look and feel for Registry staff while meeting the unique needs of the individual courts. This will be a key milestone towards the ultimate objective of having the capacity to maintain complete electronic versions of the official court files.

A comprehensive plan to identify all necessary steps in moving towards complete electronic files will be developed in 2009-2010 and will include strategies to increase the volume of e-filed documents and build on lessons learned from key initiatives such as electronic distribution of decisions, e-faxing, e-scanning, and digital audio recording of courtroom proceedings. A plan will also be developed in conjunction with the IT Division to equip our courtrooms with state-of-the-art technology.

A review of current registry processes across the four courts, and a review of resource levels and distribution of staff across the country is currently underway and will continue throughout 2009-2010. The objective is to harmonize workflows and improve our service delivery while respecting the individual needs of each court. As well, Registry Services will undertake a review of its operational training program and develop improved training tools and methodologies to allow staff to provide better client service. Finally, in an effort to constantly improve our service delivery, service standards will be developed, implemented and monitored across the country and client satisfaction will be measured through the use of surveys.

Program Activity 2:
Judicial Services

Program Activity Description

The Judicial Services Branch provides direct support to all the Judges through the efforts of judicial assistants, law clerks, jurilinguists, chauffeurs and court attendants, and library personnel. The services provided include research, documentation, revision, editing, and linguistic and terminological advice, the object of which is to assist the judges in preparing their judgments and reasons for judgment.

Program Activity 2: Judicial services
Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2009-10		2010-11		2011-12
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
196	$19.3	196	$19	196	$19

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Judges have the tools and resources they need to perform their functions	Satisfaction rate of judges concerning the services provided	To be determined based on baseline results Improvements in subsequent years
Members of the bar, key stakeholders and the public receive information concerning the status of proceedings, judgments rendered and court operations	Demonstration of interest on the part of the groups concerned: presence at open houses, visits to Web site and number of requests for brochures	To be determined based on baseline results Improvements in subsequent years
Establishment of a communications network with members of the bar and key stakeholders in order to understand their concerns	Number of meetings Number of recommendations Number of participants	To be determined based on baseline results Improvements in subsequent years

Planning Highlights

Judicial Services will undertake a comprehensive review of its library collections in 2009-2010. With changing demographics, judges and Law Clerks increasingly make use of electronic collections and research tools and it is hoped the number of hard-copy subscriptions can be reduced. This would allow for reduced costs and the improvement of the quality and diversity of electronic collections through reinvestment, agreements with providers of collections, reciprocal agreements with providers of collections and partnerships with other libraries.

An evaluation of the current level of prothonotary support to the Federal Court will be a priority in 2009-2010. Prothonotaries perform judicial functions that facilitate efficient case management within that Court. Their responsibilities include mediation, case management of specific files, practice motions, and issuing directions from the Court. Should the evaluation result in a recommendation for the creation of one or more additional prothonotary positions, a business case will be developed.

The Branch will also review the existing Law Clerks Program to ensure it continues to meet the objectives of 1) providing timely and effective research support to the judges, and 2) providing high quality articling opportunities to law students from across the country. This will include promoting the program in Canadian law faculties through judges' visits and information brochures, soliciting feedback from past and present law clerks on the value of the program, interviewing judges with respect to their needs and expectations for timely service, reviewing the number of Law Clerk positions and how they are managed and developing a policy on travel by Law Clerks to special sittings outside the NCR.

Program Activity 3:
Internal Services

Program Activity Description

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not those provided specifically to a program.

Program Activity 3: Corporate / Internal services
Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2009-10		2010-11		2011-12
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
127	$15.8	127	$12.8	127	$12.7

Planning Highlights

Internal Services will develop and implement a National Security Strategy for the courts and the Service over the next two planning years. This will address concerns about the level and consistency of security measures in place in courtrooms and in Registry offices across the country. A key element of the Strategy is the development of a Security Policy Framework for the organization, which will be rolled out in 2009-2010.

A National Accommodation Strategy will be developed to support, in part, the recent identification of the Thomas D'Arcy McGee Building as the long-term accommodation solution for the Service in the National Capital Region. Consolidation of operations across five locations in the NCR will take place over several years as space becomes available.

The Human Resources Division will continue to move forward with policies and initiatives related to the Public Service Modernization Act and the People Component of the Management Accountability Framework (MAF). Those planned or already underway include the introduction of HR Online, development of a learning strategy, knowledge and talent management work on succession planning, development of core competency profiles, and an employment equity and diversity strategy.

The IM/IT Division will continue to support the development and introduction of a number of technologies by the Registry Services branch to modernize their case management and related systems. This entails work on the common Case Management System and its sub-projects such as e-filing, e-faxing, e-scanning and digital recording. The latter is also a sub-project of the e-courtroom initiative where solutions such as wireless Internet access and evidence display system will be looked at.

With a view to strengthening its internal management capacity, integrated human resource and business planning has been introduced across the Service and will be strengthened in 2009-2010. The Service recently developed both HR and operational plans and will develop and roll out a formal, integrated risk management framework in 2009-2010.

• Previous Page
• Table of Contents
• Next Page