Joint research for Uni of Adelaide and Courts

Friday, 30 October 2015

Innovation through technology and evaluation of changes to court processes are among projects to be considered under an agreement signed recently between the University of Adelaide and the Courts Administration Authority (CAA).

Chairperson of the State Courts Administration Council and Chief Justice of South Australia The Honourable Chris Kourakis and David Caruso, Director of the Litigation Law Unit at the University’s School of Law, have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on research projects focused on litigation practices and court operations.

The MOU is the first of its kind in South Australia and builds on years of collaboration between the courts and legal academics.

The Chief Justice described the agreement as “potentially benefitting the Courts, the University and the community”.

“Under this agreement, the CAA and the University can work together on particular research projects designed to reform the administration of justice.”

Mr Caruso says areas of research could range from the ongoing modernisation of court hearings through the use of technology, to the structure of courts and the jurisdictions in which certain cases are heard.

“Much of our work will involve identifying and assessing what is considered to be best practice. We will do so across areas of litigation and court process observed by the court and litigants. This may result in a review and, potentially, new approaches and strategy,” Mr Caruso says.

“The agreement means the University will benefit from working even more closely with the courts on research that improves the administration of justice – a natural ambition of the courts and legal academics concerned in the workings of courts.

“This arrangement also provides our students with increased exposure and involvement in research projects that could affect the future of the court system and the legal profession they will enter,” he says.

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