Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) took a significant step forward in the modernization of legal processes today, March 01, 2024, with the soft launch of a groundbreaking pilot project at the High Court in Fortlands, St. Kitts. This pilot introduces advanced software designed to convert audio recordings of court proceedings into text in real-time, leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.

The Honourable Chief Justice, Her Ladyship, Dame Janice M. Pereira, presided over the ceremony, marking the beginning of a new era in the judicial system. The AI-driven software, developed by ‘FTR – For the Record,’ aims to efficiently produce official court transcripts, thereby addressing the longstanding issue of transcript backlog which has affected the court’s scheduling of matters and access to justice.

Chief Justice Pereira expressed her enthusiasm for the project.

“This, I think, is really awesome in terms of the way it will revolutionise our court proceedings. I am really very pleased that we have been able to really do this soft launch.”

She further emphasised the benefits of the technology for all court stakeholders.

“I know that the court officers, the judges, that their hands and health, will not suffer as much in terms of all the long-hand writing that they sometimes are requested to do. But, very importantly, [this will prove beneficial to] litigants whose matters are before the court and the need to ensure that we are giving proper access to justice at all levels of the court – that, at the end of the day, is what I think is going to be the lasting impact of incorporating systems like these fully within the court.”

Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, the Honourable Garth Wilkin said that this initiative represents a monumental shift in the ECSC’s approach to resolving one of the most pressing challenges in the judicial system, promising faster, more accessible justice for all.

Members of the Bar Council and the St. Kitts and Nevis Bar Association extended their profound thanks to the court for its innovative approach and dedication to improving the efficiency of the legal process.

The ECSC is a regional court serving member states in the Eastern Caribbean, providing judicial support and ensuring access to justice. It has been at the forefront of addressing judicial challenges and improving the efficiency of legal processes in the Caribbean since 1967.