[DURBAN, 25 November 2013] – LexisNexis South Africa (www.lexisnexis.co.za), a leading provider of content and technology solutions for the professional, academic and government sectors, today marked a new milestone in its drive to modernise and improve technology at South African courts.
The company’s pioneering digital self help kiosk concept was officially launched at the Durban High Court, where Deputy Judge President of the KZN High Courts, Achmat Naaim Jappie, presided over the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Declaring the technology a significant step for legal research, LexisNexis chief executive officer, Billy Last, said that the tool could be introduced at other courts across South Africa should the pilot prove successful. The concept is an extension of LexisNexis’ ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of legal operations and follows on from the company’s groundbreaking rollout of wireless technology at the courts since 2011.
Above: LexisNexis Commercial Director Thabo Molefe and Deputy Judge President of the KZN High Courts, Achmat Naaim Jappie, launch the digital self help kiosk at Durban High Court
The digital self help kiosks, to be located in LexisNexis Wi-Fi hotspots in the courts, feature a modern and interactive touch screen display through which legal practitioners can gain access to legislation, law reports and commentary. This includes an array of LexisNexis professional legal publications and free access to the company’s online research solutions, My LexisNexis and Practical Guidance. The kiosks also offer direct links to training, customer service, sales and technical support.
Mr Last said the company continued to explore ways in which to aid professionals, governments and citizens to uphold the Rule of Law.
“A transparent legal system is a fundamental necessity for the Rule of Law and there is certainly no doubt of the importance of access to complete, accurate and up-to-date legislation and case law in the administration of justice. As LexisNexis South Africa, we are committed to providing tools to assist the legal fraternity to save valuable time and improve efficiencies. For example, through the digital self help kiosk technology, last minute legal research can be done at court without requiring a special device,” he said.
He said the legal industry’s reliance on digital information continued to increase and drive growing demand for sophisticated online research tools.
To date LexisNexis South Africa has made wireless technology available at the Magistrates’ Courts in Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria, as well as the Johannesburg High Court, Pretoria High Court, North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria; South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg; Western Cape High Court; the KwaZulu-Natal High Courts in Pietermaritzburg and Durban and the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
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About LexisNexis Legal & Professional
LexisNexis Legal & Professional (www.lexisnexis.com) is a leading global provider of content and technology solutions that enable professionals in legal, corporate, tax, government, academic and non-profit organisations to make informed decisions and achieve better business outcomes. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. Today, LexisNexis Legal & Professional harnesses leading-edge technology and world-class content, to help professionals work in faster, easier and more effective ways. Through close collaboration with its customers, the company ensures organisations can leverage its solutions to reduce risk, improve productivity, increase profitability and grow their business. Part of Reed Elsevier, LexisNexis Legal & Professional serves customers in more than 100 countries with 10,000 employees worldwide.
In South Africa, LexisNexis’s (www.lexisnexis.co.za) unique combination of Butterworths authoritative content and powerful online research offers an extensive range of print and online research solutions for professionals, government, business and students. In addition, with professional seminars, practical training, safety, health and environment compliance and online access to public record information, LexisNexis helps customers reach decisions confidently.
In July 2012, investment firm Tsiya Group, chaired by Fani Titi, acquired a minority interest in LexisNexis® South Africa. Tsiya is a privately owned investment group that was established in 2008 and focuses on acquiring interests in unlisted businesses. The company has a particular interest in the media and information industry and is currently invested in two radio stations, namely Heart FM (which broadcasts in the Western Cape) and Gagasi FM (which broadcasts in KwaZulu Natal).
