Backlogged legal cases<\/p>\n
It was baffling to read the report in The Jakarta Post on
\nMarch 4 about the backlog of cases in the Supreme Court. If it is
\ntrue that the number of unsettled cases has reached 16,000, this
\nmust be deplored as a disgraceful occurrence.<\/p>\n
To be sure, this should bring discredit on the one hand to the
\nSupreme Court, as the highest judicial body in the land, and on
\nthe other hand to the professional awareness of justices with
\nrespect to the sublime function of the court to develop the
\nnation's jurisprudence by virtue of the accumulation of a string
\nof verdicts.<\/p>\n
In retrospect, one may imagine the futility or ineffectiveness
\nof the backlogged cases, featuring as just stacks of thick
\ndossiers that fill shelves, or perhaps are just piled up on the
\nfloor.<\/p>\n
The implications of this matter can hardly be denied. First,
\nthe potential of enriching or replenishing the body of judge-made
\nlaw, comprising the invaluable variety of ramifications of
\njurisprudence mirroring the current legal phenomena occurring in
\nsociety, is put in jeopardy.<\/p>\n
Second, the delay in settling cases in the Supreme Court bears
\nheavily on the burden of cost incurred by litigants.<\/p>\n
It must be remembered that Article 4 of Law No. 14\/1970 on the
\nbasic provisions of judicial power sets forth that judicial
\nproceedings shall be carried out simplistically, swiftly and at a
\nlow cost.<\/p>\n
Third, the oath taken by the justices refers to the duty of
\nthe justices to adjudicate in an honest and efficient manner in
\nenforcing the law and upholding justice.<\/p>\n
Certainly, to alleviate the hardships of poor litigants, in
\nface of the high cost of litigation throughout three levels of
\ncourts, such a huge lot of backlog cases should soon be
\ndiscarded.<\/p>\n
S. SUHAEDI<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/backlogged-legal-cases-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }