A Question and Answer with CaseLines CaseLines is the world’s most comprehensive digital evidence management solution for national and local governments, and courts. Our platform allows legal teams to efficiently and securely prepare, collate, redact, share and present evidence/legal bundles, documentary and video evidence in a single system. Prosecutors, lawyers, barristers and judges in civil and public law cases use CaseLines globally, including in England, Wales, Kenya, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The platform holds over 300,00 cases and over 100 million pages of evidence and we are now looking to gain a market presence in North America.
What areas of law do you cover e.g. family, civil, criminal?
CaseLines is the only cloud-based evidence management platform that is used in criminal, civil and family law cases, as well as being used by the solicitor’s disciplinary tribunal, local governments and law firms.
Local governments are under increasing pressures from diminishing budgets and ever-growing case demands, yet they still need to effectively deliver a range of services. In contrast, law firms are under increasing pressure from growing global competition and corporate insourcing. In both instances, Case- Lines offers a reliable cost-effective solution that delivers secure storage, alongside facilitating collaboration both in and out of court. The complete evidence management platform can therefore be implemented across multiple areas of law.
How can CaseLines make an expert’s testimony easier?
CaseLines can make an expert’s testimony easier by providing an easily searchable evidence management system to review key information anytime, anywhere. This means they can focus on their specialist subject rather than being distracted or caught up in the court proceedings.
Moreover, many expert witnesses will work internationally. CaseLines offers them the ability to collaborate more effectively with lawyers across multiple countries and time zones. In fact, the system now enables experts to provide their testimony via secure video link directly into the courtroom, minimizing disruption to their everyday careers and removing the need to travel.
At the end of the day, expert witnesses are not lawyers and may not have previous experience of being called upon in a court environment. Therefore, any advancements which simplify courtroom proceedings will only work to help the process run more smoothly.
What training do you think that experts should undertake?
The use of digital evidence management means that expert witnesses require minimal training to be able to be an effective subject matter expert in the court room. CaseLines offer’s the ability to create as many sub-bundles from the master evidence bundle, allowing an expert witness to be given access to only the evidence that they are required to refer to and present in court.
Furthermore, productivity and presentation tools within the platform such as page direction and presenter mode allow for either the expert or a court clerk to drive the presentation of referred to evidence to the court. This results in a more efficient testimony, with the expert not being interrupted by delays whilst parties, judges and juries find the section or page in a paper bundle.
What time savings does ‘digital evidence’ offer?
CaseLines provides the latest legal technology to refine legal practices and drive efficiency in an increasingly overstretched system.
Traditionally, hours are spent manually compiling and checking documents in evidence bundles before they go to court. This practice increases file preparation time and absorbs work hours that could be usefully employed elsewhere. With CaseLines, duplicate documents can be detected and removed at the click of a button. This means less wasted effort and more time to focus on the important work for a case, with users already reporting up to 95 per cent time savings.
Furthermore, CaseLines can help to reduce the number of hearings taken to court, meaning more cases can be heard quicker, easing delays in a saturated system. In fact, the UK Crown Court has seen a 50 per cent reduction in hearings due to earlier access to evidence resulting in defendants entering more early guilty pleas.
How long do you think it will be before’ digital evidence’ will be commonplace in most UK courts?
The CaseLines system is already mandatory in all criminal courts across England and Wales and is an MoJ approved platform for use in all courtrooms. With greater awareness surrounding the added security, time saving and efficiency benefits that CaseLines provides, hopefully it won’t be long before tribunals, civil and family courts follow suit.
All the answers you need to the many challenges of evidence management
Used in courts around the world, and widely endorsed by judges, CaseLines is the advanced cloud-collaboration solution that offers true digitisation. It is far superior to using unsecure, unconnected pdfs and eliminates the ever-rising cost of handling paper.
London office
Belle House, Platform 1, Victoria Station Westminster, London, SW1V 1JT Phone: +44 (0)20 3922 0840 Website: www.caselines.com
Offices also in Washington D.C., USA
