2003 - usaid/ofda

-- -
I Unit of.\leasure 6: Kumber of proccdunl steps simplified in the o p i n i o n r l
I Total number planned by ZOO): 10 ( Total number achieved br.2003: 5 I
Discussion of result: The total achieved by 200; represents 50% of Project targets in this ma It is w nh
noting that. during its early stages. the Project had identified 5 priority pmccdum pertaining to the opinion
process that required simplification and mngineering. Wort on these 5 procedures was cornplned by 1001:
details regarding these procedures are provided in Annex B. No funher procedurn requid mnginccring
in the period from 2001 to 1003. However, the Project continued to work with judges to cncounzc thcm to
submit their opinions to thc Typing Pool on diskette, which would save tinic in procasing. Llore judges
panicipated in this system in Years 6 and 7 than in previous years.
Unit of hleasurc 7: Number ofcoun hearings conducted per mse
I Baseline for 1998 (NB): 7 he;rings I
Number planned for 2003: 7
Number achieved in 2003: 8.4
Discussion of result: The average number of hearings per case achieved in ZOO; exceeds the bycline as
measured in 1998. A review of nuniber of hearings per case per year from 1998 to 1001 poinls lo a slibht
average drop to 6.9 hearings per case (approximately 1.4% decrease). This dounuard trmd -7s reversed in
2002. as anticipated by the Projecl. due to the increased focus on older caws. Judga finally started
addressing older cascs and brinpinp thcm to final decision. which naturally mulled in an incrcase in thc
average number of hearings per case. This increase peaked in 1001 to an averape of 9.1 hearing. but \a
then reversed once more to a downward trend in 2003. This reflects positively on thc Coun starting to clar
its backlog of older cases. thus concentrating on newer cascs in the future. This will inevitably bring down
the avenge nuniber of hearings per case.
Unit of hlcnsurc 8: Average number ofcontitiuances granted per case
I I
I Baseline for 1998 (SB): 6.1 I
( Numbcr planned for 1003: 6 I iiumbcr achicvcd in 1003: 6.5 I
Discussion of rcsult: The number of continuances achieved per case in ZOO; constitutes an incre3sc of
6.6% in conip~rison with the baseline as n~e.uurcd in 199%. A review of the avenge numbcr of
continuances per case from 1999 to 1001 reveals an average nuniber of 5.7. with an avcnzc pcrcentqc
decrease in continuances per case of 6.6%. This do\mw\ard trend \\as again evened in 1002. The incrruc
seen in this unit of measure in 1002 roughly corresponds to thc incrusc xm in the avcngc numbcr of
hearings per case in unit of measure 7 above. The reason for this increase w a r again the fact that judge
were bringing older cases to closure. which inherently mcant that thcre would be a higher nunibcr 01
continuances per case due 1:. case agc. In 2003, thc avcray nun~bcr o~continuanccs achieved a dccrcasing
trend in comparison with 2002. but did not nwt the target~d averay by. the end ofthe Project. N'hco the
Coun has finally cleared its backlog of oldcr cascs. it is cxpcsted that the avcngc number oicontinuance
per case. as well as the average mmxr of hearin~s. krill dccrcase sipnificantly. sincc the pilot couns have
the necessary nrechanisn~s. strem~lincd procedures and capacity to expedite case procsing in the future.