Al Sayed stresses application of courts mechanization

Former President of Cairo Court of Appeal, Ezzat al-Sayed, stressed programs of courts' mechanization began in the country, about 20 years ago, according to an American program called "Just Support". He added American judges visited the country during this period to hold training seminars on the mechanization program, stressing that this mission assigned to a US contractor as a grant within US aid.

Al Sayed confirmed, in interview with Arabs Today, that these programs emphasized that mechanization is not everything to speed up litigation process and trials, adding that there other requirements to speed up litigation, including substantial legislative amendments.

He revealed that American programs dealt with human rights in Egypt, adding that Minister of Justice at the time, Counselor Farouk Saif Al-Nasr, stressed the need to keep programs in the context of mechanization of courts. Al Sayed said that mechanization is necessary, in keeping pace with the modern era, and may contribute significantly to solving millions of cases in the courts.

The Egyptian Counselor praised the mechanization and called for its circulation, adding it preserves judicial history. Regarding the slowness of judicial procedures, he said civil judiciary is slow in nature because of the use of litigation guarantees, such as referral to experts or other helpers.

He said that the number of staff in the supporting bodies was too small to equal the number of cases to be decided. He also denied that judge's annual holiday one of the reasons of slowness of judicial procedures.

Al Sayed said that courts are operating in the summer during the judicial leave, where another judge comes in more than one court for the urgent consideration of cases.