1. Information concerning the candidate (institution / organization)

Name: Court Administration Republic of Latvia

Address: 6 Antonijas Street, Riga, LV-1039

Country: LATVIA

Tel.: +371 67063840

E-mail: [email protected]

2. Represented by:

First name and surname: Mr Edvins BALSEVICS

Function: Director of Court Administration

Tel: +371 67063801

E-mail: [email protected]

(Application submitted by Ms Dace Ezeriete, Project Manager of Project Management and International Cooperation Unit, [email protected]

Initiative presented

Title: AUDIO PROTOCOL MARKING SYSTEM TIX

Date of introduction of the application form: 03.05.2017

Brief description of the initiative

TIX is a court session audio recording solution, enabling to conveniently prepare clear and interactive court session protocol in PDF format with linked text and audio data.

TIX court session audio recording solution is provided in order to improve the work with traditional court session recording options:

*         Written protocol either contains only the summary of the said or preparation thereof is time-consuming. Besides, the written protocol does not guarantee that the written corresponds with the actually said. In order the written protocol would be considered as binding, the involved parties need to coordinate and sign them.

*         Audio records contain full course of the court session, but alone they are difficult to be used. Everyone, who has had to find the interested topic discussed in the audio record of the court session, understands that it requires a lot of efforts. Besides, audio records do not contain general information on the session (a list of participants of court sessions, information on the matter and other general information of the court session), unless it is discussed right during the court session itself.

*         Use of the written protocol together with audio records solve only a part of issues and cause few new ones. It is still complicated to find the interested part in the audio record and there is an issue appearing on how to distribute two files, without losing the mutual relation thereof, in particular if more than one protocol is to be processed at the same time.

TIX eases audio recording of court sessions, combining the written information with the audio record in one interactive protocol of PDF format, corresponding with the standard of the industry. The protocol of PDF format consists of the general information of the court session, audio record of the court session and course of the court session, organised pursuant to statements or issues to be adjudicated that are linked with the particular place in audio record. Preparation of the protocol does not require a lot of time, because the recorder has to record only the issues to be adjudicated. Full information on the course of the court session is provided by audio record. While, the place of interest in the audio record is to be found fast in the interactive protocol by pressing on the relevant issue to be adjudicated.

Format of the protocol (PDF file) is perfectly suitable for alignment and distribution. Already before signing the protocol contains a full audio record, which serves itself as a testimony of the course of the court session and enables to ascertain on the compliance of the written with the said on the day of alignment. PDF file is suitable for both, signing with an electronic signature as well as printing and physical signing. The protocol is to be conveniently distributed electronically, because it contains all information in one file, which can be viewed through free software Adobe Reader (de-facto standard of the industry for work with PDF).

TIX court session audio recording solution provides the following possibilities for the user:

*         To perform recording of the session in two regimes:

o          marking statements during the court session in parallel with the audio record;

o          using the prepared audio record after the court session;

*         To do audio recording of the court session or import audio of the session from external recording equipment;

*         To save the draft court session protocol in order to be able to edit it later on or use as a sample for preparation of further protocol;

*         To establish an audio-text protocol suitable for alignment and distribution in PDF file;

*         To configure the file of protocol, including defining the information to be included in the header and footer of the protocol and variable data fields, and to add logotypes, change fonts, sizes and placement.