Dubai Courts extends 'Smart Court' campaign's period due to public demand

The Dubai Courts has decided to extend the period of receiving suggestions for its 'Smart Court' campaign by an extra month until September 27th.

This was due to the huge turnout witnessed by the campaign, and at the behest of members of the public requesting to be given more time to submit their suggestions and ideas for smartphone applications.

The 'Smart Court' campaign is designed to achieve the vision of Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

At the launch of the 'Smart Government' programme, which is in accordance with the implementation of Sheikh Mohammed's vision, he stated: "We want our citizens to engage in the everyday business of government, and access government services, via their mobile phones". His Highness continued: "The joy of existence is to do something one has not done before, or did not expect to do at all. Therefore, we are eagerly anticipating your creativity."

Launched at the end of June 2013 under the slogan 'Your Suggestions Make the Future,' the campaign aims to provide the best ideas possible to develop and improve services and procedures for smartphone applications.

The campaign is intended to assist in Dubai Courts' aim of supporting the nomination of the Emirate of Dubai to host the Expo 2020 by focusing on several objectives, namely: raising the readiness of Dubai to host the World Expo 2020; strengthening co-operation with Dubai Courts' strategic partners by engaging them in the suggestion of creative ideas; developing an action plan through which responsibilities to ensure the effectiveness of the team's work implementation and procedures relating to the process of studying the suggestions will be assigned; and, finally, designing and leading a campaign to invite all workers in the judicial sector in Dubai to generate as many creative ideas as possible which may contribute to the upgrading of the work and performance in Dubai Courts.

Dr. Ahmed Saeed Bin Hazim, Director General of Dubai Courts, stated: "We aim through this campaign, to receive around 10,000 ideas or suggestions in order to develop and improve services and procedures at the Dubai Courts via smartphone applications."

Bin Hazim added, "A team of Dubai Courts' employees made a series of visits to a number of relevant bodies such as DIFC Courts, Dubai Judicial Institute, Dubai Public Prosecution, and other government departments to introduce workers of those organisations to the campaign, its objectives and purpose in order to attract the largest possible number of suggestions and ideas. This will enable Dubai Courts to select the best and most feasible ideas which will help to improve services and procedures via smartphone applications."

Since the launch of the campaign, various suggestions are being submitted covering all court-related sectors. Several suggestions and ideas are daily received from all those working in the judiciary and legal field in Dubai. The aim is to conceive as many creative ideas as possible, which will contribute to the upgrading of work and performance in Dubai Courts, along with the development and improvement of services and procedures via smartphone applications.

The Dubai Courts has enabled all the staff of the Dubai Government to take part in the campaign as well as lawyers, experts and students of colleges of law. Valuable awards will be given to those who suggest the best creative ideas.

The awards were divided into several categories, namely: Gold Idea, including the best imaginative idea to develop and improve services and procedures through smartphones applications, Imaginative Ideas, Ideas for Developing and Improving Services and Procedures, Ideas of Smartphone Applications, and Student Ideas.

The Dubai Courts will be receiving suggestions through its 'Nebras' smartphone application.

The suggestion application form can be filled out through the 'Nebras' mobile app. Suggestions submitted must be entirely new, having never previously been submitted to any other party.

Participants are allowed to provide as many suggestions as they wish. The decision of the Selection Committee is final and appealing against the results of the assessment of suggestions is not permitted. The submitted suggestions become the property of the Dubai Courts.

The Dubai Courts is entitled to use any submitted suggestion to develop its services or use them within its various projects or activities.

The Dubai Courts has set up multiple criteria for the assessment of the submitted suggestions, namely: efficiency and effectiveness in terms of reduction of turnaround; cost and effort of the service rendered; creativity in solving a certain problem in a unique way contributing to the improvement of services and meeting the needs of customers; development and simplification of work procedures at Dubai Courts; and, finally, promotion of the concept of 'Smart Court' by providing services to clients and the general public via mobile phone.

At the end of the campaign, the winning suggestions and ideas will be honoured and winners will be awarded with valuable prizes, such as a car, a diamond necklace, or a holiday trip, among other rewards. The Dubai Courts stipulated that winners could claim no additional amounts in the future as a result of the application of suggestions.

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