The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrusssell@tribunemedia.net

INDUSTRIAL Tribunal president Indira Demeritte-Francis said the body closed 242 cases last year, the majority resolved in less than a year.

She spoke at the opening of the legal year under the theme “Our Jubilee Year –– Stepping up to the Digital Frontier of AI.”

She said 61 cases were resolved within three months, describing the year as a “landmark period” for the Tribunal because of its efficiency in resolving cases.

She said disposing of 243 cases was noteworthy because of the complexity and varied nature of the cases.

In 2021, the disposal rate for the Industrial Tribunal was 230, which helped address backlogs.

She said 106 cases were disposed of within seven to 11 months and that 60 cases were addressed within four to six months.

She revealed AI technology is now being introduced into the tribunal’s administrative processes to help manage the work rate and production of Orders, and ensure that they are processed more swiftly.

“AI tools can handle the repetitive and time-consuming aspects of drafting Orders, such as case number, parties, appearances, judge who heard case, dates and times of document filed on the case management solution,” she said. “For example, Orders on Directions. This freeing up judges to focus more on the nuanced and critical aspects of writing and decision-making.”

Attorney General Ryan Pinder applauded the tribunal for making history by implementing AI tools, saying the body is the region’s first fully digitised and automated court facility.