DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A WEB BASED LEGAL PRACTITIONER APPLICATION SYSTEM.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

To understand the web-based legal practitioner application system, it includes not merely the profession, which is practiced in courts but also covers law teaching, law research, administration in different branches where law plays a role and in fact, commercial and industrial employment and all other activities, which postulates and requires the use of legal knowledge and skill and which adopts legal process also fall within its scope.  The wed based legal practitioner comprises all those who use technical legal knowledge through net in performing their various occupational roles.  These will include such categories as practitioners of law and legal advisers, judges and magistrates, Area court Judges and Islamic Court Judges, academic lawyers and scholars, legal technicians (e.g. consultants) etc.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problem statement is mainly centralised on the existing method of wed-based legal practitioner application system.  The information obtained on-line, shows that a legal practitioner is entitled to recover his charges by action in a court of competent jurisdiction.  In General, before a legal practitioner brings such action, a bill for the charges containing particulars of the principal items included in the bill and signed by him, or in the case of a firm by one of the partners or in the name of the firm, must have been served on the client personally or left for him at his last address as known to the practitioner or sent by post addressed to the client at that address.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The web-based legal practitioner application system has an increasingly important role in a modern state not only in dispensation of justice but also in the formulation of a just legal order and in the preservation of an efficient juristic order.

1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Reference could be made from different parts of the world about a case on-line. Considering the fact that information are displayed on the web because, some Judges and Lawyers could be able to make reference on how related cases are being handled. For instance, somebody is having a case of murder in the court and you want to search, to know how the case was treated or how it was judged.  As a lawyer, you may go on net, to search for a related case to the case you are handling and how it was treated, in order to know or for easy decision on your own cases.

1.5   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The web-based legal practioner application system covers the activities and proceedings of Appeal court Enugu. This is due to the large number of cases attended to by the legal practitioner and the number of cases also waiting to be attended to. The scope of the study covers case documentation, that is, recording and retrieval of cases online to help lawyers prepare for cases and also provide information for lawyers at all levels to enable them carry out their duties.

1.6   LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study was limited by several factors of which some posed serious constraints towards the development of the project. One of the major drawbacks was time because there was not enough time for the research. There were also drawbacks due to financial incapacitation. This is among other frustrations such as inability to procure research materials due to distance. It was difficult to source most of the important information needed for this work.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS/VARIABLES

LEGAL PRACTITIONER:  A person entitled to practice as a barrister (advocate) or as a barrister and solicitor.

THE CHIEF JUSTICE: He is to authorize a person whose name is not on the roll, on payment to the Chief Registrar of the supreme court of such fee not exceeding 50 naira as may be specified in the warrant.

A LAWYER: A lawyer maintains a respectful attitude towards the court.  He s trained and qualified to advice people about the law and represent them in a court of law.

THE JUDICIARY: He settles and decides controversies between he citizens inter se and between the state and the citizens.

THE LAW COURTS: A law court is a statutory place for proper interpretation of law to resolve disputes and conflict.

JUDGES: They should indeed move in the direction of the jurisprudence of welfare and adopt a judicial approach that identifies the political, social and economic problems facing the country and using the law to provide solutions to these problems.  They lead in the proceedings.  He has the authority to decide on offenders.

APPELLANT: Is one who takes a case to the court.  He is the complainant.

RESPONDENT: This is one who is defending in a claim; he is responding to the complaint.

CASE LIST: These are scheduling of cases to be heard by the court on the following day.

APPEAL: This can be a formal request to a court of law for a judgment to be passed on an issue.

PROCEEDINGS: This is an activity carried in a law court in a bid to settle a dispute.