The latest strides in technology in the digital age should not lead those in legal reasearch astray from their roles in assisting in the administration of justice for all, Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo said Monday. ‘While the tools and processes have changed with new technologies, the end to be pursued remains the same. Legal research must contribute to assisting the court in doing justice to every case,’ Gesmundo said in his keynote address at ‘A Colloquium on Legal Research in the Digital Age’ organized by the Information and Publications Division of the University of the Philippines Law Center in Diliman, Quezon City. Gesmundo reminded the members of the legal profession that with excellent research work supporting their arguments, lawyers effectively take an active part in the efficient and fair administration of justice. ‘It remains the primary duty of lawyers to present to the court the facts of the case and relevant laws fairly and accurately, to aid the court in arriving at a correct decision,’ he added. The chief magistrate also recognized the potential of emerging technologies to power the judiciary’s reform agenda under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027. ‘Digital transformation of the judiciary serves as a potent arsenal in our long battle against the perennial problems of inefficiency, delay, and corruption, which have long afflicted our judicial system,’ Gesmundo said, stressing the role of technology in judicial reforms. He further said that with the arrival of the digital age, legal research should proportionately upgrade the standard for what counts as quality legal research work. ‘With improved efficiency comes higher expectations in the accuracy and authenticity of authorities cited and sourced online,’ he said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
