The Caribbean Agency for Justice Solutions

APEX is mandated to:

Implement and support Court Technology solutions and services for Caribbean courts;

Deliver training and capacity-building programs to support accelerated adoption and integration of technology-enabled services in Caribbean courts.

Facilitate development of a region-wide “ecosystem” for Court service innovation and support;

CENTRE FOR CARIBBEAN COURT EXCELLENCE

The Centre for Caribbean Court Excellence is a self-sustaining vehicle for improving the standard of justice in the region through the development of relevant human resource capacity, sharing of best practices and incorporation of appropriate information and communications technology solutions to strengthen the region’s courts and support the administration of justice.

It considers a whole-court approach to achieving court excellence based upon internationally recognized court standards and approaches. However, it also reflects the unique circumstances and special needs that courts face in the Caribbean.

For information on how the CCCE can serve your court needs please FILL OUT ONLINE INQUIRY FORM or less preferred – email: ccce @ apexponents.com

THE APEX COMMITMENT

APEX is committed to leveraging information and communications technology to improve access to justice and to provide a broad range and high quality services to the courts, litigants, lawyers, justice partners, and the public.

APEX achieves this through local, regional and international strategic partnerships, technology innovation and specially tailored capacity building initiatives.

APEX GUIDING PRINCIPLES

APEX has defined a set of Guiding Principles that informs all APEX initiatives and activities. These principles capture the values that provide overall direction to our projects and programs and plans. They are also intended to inform how courts invest in new, or modify existing, solutions or services.

1. Ensure Access and Fairness. Use technologies that allow all court users to have impartial and effective access to justice. ​

2. Include Self-Represented Litigants. Provide services to those representing themselves, as well as those represented by attorneys.

3. Preserve Traditional Access. Promote innovative approaches for public access to the courts while accommodating persons needing access through conventional means. ​

4. Design for Ease of Use. Build services that are user-friendly, and use technology that is widely available. ​

5. Provide Education and Support. Develop and provide training and support for all technology solutions, particularly those intended for use by the public.​

6. Secure Private Information. Design services to comply with privacy laws and confirm to international best-practice to assure users that personal information is properly protected. ​

7. Provide Reliable Information. Ensure the accuracy and timeliness of information provided to judges, parties, and others. ​

8. Protect from Technology Failure. Define contingencies and remedies to guarantee that users do not forfeit legal rights when technologies fail and users are unable to operate systems successfully. ​ ​

9. Improve Court Operations. Advance court operational practices to make full use of technology and, in turn, provide better service to court users.

10. Future ready. Create technology solutions that are forward thinking and that enable courts to favorably adapt to changing expectations of the public and court users.

11. Improve Interoperability Through Technology Standards. Provide technology standards or guidelines related to access to information or submission of documents that support the court’s goal of greater compatibility for the public and justice partners.

12. Collaboration and Economies of Scale. Identify opportunities to collaborate on technologies to reduce costs, leverage expertise and training, and improve consistency.

13. Foster Local Decision-Making. Develop, fund, and implement technologies to improve local processes and workflows that may provide a model for wider implementation. ​

14. Encourage Local Innovation. Allow for adaptation to address local needs, foster innovation, and provide, where appropriate, a model for wider implementation.​

PRIORITY AREAS

Promote Digitally Enhanced Courts

Improve access, administer timely, efficient justice, increase public confidence and enable effective stakeholder collaboration and decision making

Support Human Resource Development

Maximize the value of personnel and their capacity to leverage technology assets and development resources

Foster Accelerated Innovation

Drive modernization of statutes, rules, procedures and systems to encourage greater and faster adoption of technology-based innovation in court operations and in the delivery of court services

Coordinate Infrastructure Strengthening

Leverage, support, and facilitate continual investment in reliable, resilient and secure court technology infrastructure

AREAS OF FOCUS

Develop

Innovative Court Technology services

Train

Court officers on the use of approved technology solutions

Champion

The modernization of court systems and processes for enhancing court service delivery

Facilitate

Data-driven Court Technology adoption, decision making and policy development​

THE APEX APPROACH

Certify

Vendors and technology solutions for use in Caribbean Courts

Procure

Relevant technology on behalf of Caribbean Courts

Support

Technology via a network of certified support specialists

Advise

Courts on appropriate technology and process engineering