Capital unveils hi-tech court room

Marten Youssef, Courts and Justice Reporter

• Last Updated: November 17. 2009 5:58PM UAE / November 17. 2009 1:58PM GMT

ABU DHABI // Abu Dhabi Judicial Department has unveiled its state of the art court room, which will be a testing ground for sophisticated international cases.

The court room is equipped with a translation room where the audience can listen to the proceeding through headphones in the relevant language. It includes video and audio conferencing, which is designed to be used by witnesses and experts from abroad without them having to be in the country.

Witnesses who want to testify but fear revealing their identity, will be able to do so through a private room where their testimony is heard while their identity is veiled.

The model court room is being hailed by the department as the first of its type in the region. It is designed to be a paperless court room.

All of the documents, evidence, legislations and letters are managed digitally, which are accessible through the various computers across the court room. An enclosed network will be accessible to the judicial panel, the defence and prosecution.

The Judicial Department was set up in 2006 and gave the emirate its own judiciary distinct from the federal system.

The Department has not announced which case will be heard there first.

myoussef@thenational.ae