The Judiciary will establish a National Transcription Centre following the success of the Nairobi-based Milimani Transcription Pilot Centre.

The Center utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) for overnight transcription of court proceedings.

On Thursday, Chief Justice Martha Koome announced that the new center will provide transcription support to court stations nationwide, with a targeted turnaround time of 72 hours.

She said the move seeks to eliminate the long-standing issue of delayed proceedings, which has plagued the justice system.

“We are expanding the Milimani Transcription Pilot, powered by artificial intelligence, to the rest of the country by creating a fully operational National Transcription Centre.”

Further, she highlighted the Judiciary’s ongoing efforts to operationalize a Court Decisions Portal as a public knowledge base.

“This portal, linked to the National Law Reporting Database, will grant easy access to court decisions, rulings, and judgments from all levels of courts, including subordinate courts, tribunals, and even alternative justice systems,” she added.

“It will be an additional valuable resource for accessing court decisions at all levels and will help ensure uniformity in the application of precedent,” Koome noted.

Similarly, she emphasized that the Judiciary has launched the Causelist Portal through the e-filing system that provides real-time access to court cause lists, enabling stakeholders to stay informed about upcoming cases.

Koome hailed the innovation for promoting transparency and accountability, ensuring timely and organized dispensation of justice.

However, Koome acknowledged the challenges the Judiciary has faced in relying on technology, including system downtimes and data security concerns.