Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The General Court in Jeddah, under the chairmanship of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Odaibi, will quit the traditional methods of litigation and will go completely paperless from November, according to informed judicial sources.

They said the Justice Ministry and the Supreme Judicial Council have supported the courts by a gigantic electronic gate which is providing 90 various judicial services in addition to about 99 indicators.

The ministry said this year more than 12 million people visited its electronic gate and finalized their services through the Internet without the need to personally visit the courts or the notaries public.

It said the visitors of its electronic gate are increasing day by day due to its extensive use of the most modern and state-of-the-art technology.

The ministry said it has digitalized its judicial and legal services to facilitate the services for the beneficiaries, control technology, boost the effectiveness of the courts and consider the cases quickly without any delay.

An informed judicial source said the ministry's smart technological system will make a great leap in the judicial system and will save time and effort in the consideration of cases.

"The Saudi courts have entered into a new historical era toward the smart technological systems and have changed their old and traditional methods to the new electronic styles," he said.

The source said instead of papers, documents and deeds, the litigation can now easily be done electronically.

He said the USB, the CD and other digital materials have become normal attachments in the e-mails coming to the courts.

"The litigants are electronically informed about the timings of the court sessions and the defense memoranda are also attached electronically," he said.

Sheikh Mohammed Amin Mirdad, member of the Supreme Judicial Council, said the ministry's electronic services have expanded and increased by about 100 percent.