A state government legal institution, with a network of 48 facilities located across the state, was concerned over the lengthy delay and high costs associated with transporting personnel and defendants between facilities. There was also a significant backlog of cases due to the inefficiency of bringing witnesses from remote locations to the courtroom in a timely fashion.

Solution
Vantage implemented a multipoint conferencing solution over ISDN to link all 48 facilities. During a multipoint conference the defendant is able to view the magistrate, the lawyer, the prosecutor and family and friends simultaneously. Each courtroom is fitted with a touch screen control panel so the judge or magistrate is able to record the court case, select and move a document camera for showing evidence, and control camera views and audio levels. ‘Remote Witness Rooms’ were setup within the courthouses for isolation of vulnerable witnesses who can then give evidence via a private video conferencing session.

Benefits
Since the implementation of video conferencing technology, the efficiency and speed of the judicial process has increased. More cases are able to be processed quicker. Defendants and legal personnel do not have to attend court for extended periods of time. Witnesses can be brought in without the need for travel. Prisoners are not required to be transported to the courthouse thereby minimising security risks. To date, more than 4, 200 cases have been resolved via video conferencing.