ARCHIVED - RPP 2006-2007
Supreme Court of Canada

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II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

The Office of the Registrar has a single strategic outcome—to provide the best possible decision-making environment for the Supreme Court of Canada. The planned results in support of this remain the same as those in the 2005-2006 RPP. These are:

• To process hearings and decisions promptly;
• To ensure the independence of the Court as an institution within the framework of sound public administration;
• To improve access to the Court and its services; and
• To provide the information base that the Court needs to fulfill its mandate.

The Office of the Registrar has one activity—process hearings and decisions; and four sub-activities—Executive services, Court Operations, Library and Information Services, and Payments pursuant to the Judges Act.

The performance indicators for each of these results are summarized in the chart below. The performance measurement framework for the Office of the Registrar also includes performance indicators related to a Motivated Workforce and Sound Management.

Performance measurement framework of the Office of the Registrar

Click image to enlarge

We describe below in greater detail the expected results, the performance indicators, and how the plans and priorities of the Office of the Registrar will help it achieve its performance objectives.

A. Process hearings and decisions—results and performance objectives

Activity	Expected Result	Performance Indicators
Process hearings and decisions	Process cases without delay	• Feedback re quality of service • Quality and availability of technology • Elapsed time for processing cases • Quality of library services

Expected result: Process cases without delay

This result is the "raison d'être" of the Office of the Registrar. The performance indicators relate mainly to the quality and timeliness of the service provided.

• Feedback regarding quality of service. Stakeholder satisfaction is monitored on a qualitative basis through feedback on the quality of services provided by the Office of the Registrar. Within the Court, the primary stakeholders are the judges. Externally, stakeholders include litigants and the legal community. The Registrar regularly confers with the Judges to assess their level of satisfaction; and meets with external legal agents to obtain feedback on service delivery, through such mechanisms as the CBA/SCC Liaison Committee, the Court Ottawa Agents Practice and Procedures Committee, as well as via informal communications with the legal community. Feedback is also obtained through individual correspondence from litigants and legal counsel. The Office of the Registrar will strive to maintain satisfaction levels at their current high level. This means a service that is responsive and efficient, whereby issues are resolved quickly, stakeholders have good access to information, there are few errors, and complaints are minimal. In order to maintain and improve service levels, the Office of the Registrar will continue to improve internal business processes, to review existing service standards and make further service improvements as required.
  
• Quality and availability of technology. Ensuring that the technology of the Court (software, systems, equipment and infrastructure) meets its requirements and those of users; and is aligned with industry standards and best practices within the federal government, other courts, and the judicial system in general. Users can be both internal (e.g., Judges, Registry staff), and external (litigants and their counsel, legal community). Key technology projects during 2006-2007 are the Electronic Document Management System Phase II Implementation, the Library Management System (LMS), and the modernization of the audio visual and information technology Courtroom Audio Visual and Information Technology Project.
  
• Elapsed time for processing cases. There is continuing pressure on the Office of the Registrar to process cases faster. Monthly statistics are maintained on the caseload and backlog, as well as an Annual Statistical Report. Detailed information on the case workload is also available on the Court's internet site (http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca). There will be a sustained focus on managing the time lapses for processing judgments, and keeping any backlog to a minimum. Key measures are the average elapsed times between filing of application for leave and decision on application for leave; between the date leave is granted (or date notice of appeal as of right filed) and the hearing; and between the hearing and the judgment. The Office of the Registrar will be striving to continue the trend to reduce these elapsed times.
  
• Quality of library services. The target is to meet service standards over 95% of the time, and to maintain a high level of satisfaction of the public and other stakeholders with the services available through the Library. The Library will continue to provide services to the Supreme Court, as well as to lawyers appearing before the Court, to federal courts, to members of the Bar and, by special permission, to others in the legal field. Such services include access to the print collection, online catalogue, circulation, reference/research services, virtual library services, communication of library products, and orientation and training of users. The new Library Management System (LMS) will help to improve the quality of library services provided through integration of resources.

B. Sub-Activities - results and performance objectives

Sub-Activity	Expected Results	Performance Indicators
Executive services	Independence of the Court	• Perception of institutional independence • Identification of potential conflict of interest
Court Operations	Access to Court services	•Time to respond to requests for information • Effectiveness of rules • Quality of protocol services • Quality of electronic access to Court services and information • Courtroom system availability • Provision of media access • Physical security
Library and Information Services	Access to information	• Internal access to case information • Quality of storage, retention and preservation of Court information • Quality of access to Court information • Library collection
Payments pursuant to the Judges Act	Reliable payment process	• Accuracy and timeliness of payments

Expected result: Independence of the Court

The situation of the Court at the apex of the judiciary gives it a wide visibility in Canada, and to a lesser extent, abroad. In this context, the Office of the Registrar must ensure that the independence of the institution is clearly safeguarded within the framework of sound public administration. It requires that appropriate arms-length relationships be maintained with Parliament, the Department of Justice and the Central Agencies. Key indicators are:

• Perception of institutional independence. The Office of the Registrar monitors risks to the independence of the institution, by tracking media reports, and conferring with the Judges to assess their level of comfort that the Supreme Court is maintaining its institutional independence. The Office of the Registrar strives to ensure that the implications of institutional independence are well understood and supported by actions of stakeholders, and that the high credibility of the institution is maintained in Canada and internationally.
• Identification of potential conflict of interest. The role of the Office of the Registrar is to identify, track and bring potential conflicts of interest to the attention of the Judges with respect to a case in which they may have been involved prior to their appointment to the Bench or in which they may have a personal interest. This ensures that the Judges are not placed in a situation of perceived conflict of interest with respect to a case in which they may have been involved prior to their appointment to the Bench or in which they may have a personal interest. The desired end result is that mechanisms are followed closely; there are no incidents of perceived conflict situations that were not identified; and no complaints. The Office of the Registrar reviews reporting mechanisms, and updates the rules on an ongoing basis, to avoid such incidents.

Expected result: Access to Court services

The Office of the Registrar must ensure that the Court is accessible and that it provides services to litigants including the processing of cases with the minimum delay. Key indicators are:

• Time to respond to requests for information. The desired target is that 95% of requests be answered within established service standards, and that stakeholders be satisfied with the quality of information received. Although the Office of the Registrar is confident that this target is being achieved on a consistent basis, it is implementing mechanisms to better track throughput times for requests for information and the distribution of documents. The Office of the Registrar is also improving on an ongoing basis access to information from its web site.
  
• Effectiveness of rules. At the moment, the rules are generally operating effectively. Key measures are that cases are filed as per the rules, and that there are few complaints or difficulties encountered. The Office of the Registrar conducts an annual review of the rules. It also seeks feedback from the legal community through committees such as the Court Ottawa Agents Practice and Procedures Committee (COAPP) and CBA/SCC Liaison Committee.
  
• Quality of protocol services. Key measures are stakeholder satisfaction with the services, and that events are perceived to be highly successful. Protocol services include organizing special events of the Court, receiving dignitaries and visitors officially invited by the Court (national and international), and providing assistance to Judges when traveling internationally on behalf of the Court. The Office of the Registrar is implementing an automated protocol program software tool to ensure a better control over the planning and organization of events.
  
• Quality of electronic access to Court services and information. The ultimate objective is to make electronic services and information easily accessible to both internal and external users. The Office of the Registrar is not yet achieving target in this regard as e-filing has proven to be more challenging to implement than originally anticipated. A key project during 2006-2007 will be the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) Phase II that is critical to providing more functional e-filing and internet services in the long term. The Office of the Registrar will also develop and implement a policy for electronic access to Court records taking into consideration the model policy recommended by the Canadian Judicial Council.
  
• Courtroom system reliability. The reliability of the Courtroom equipment is critical to avoiding disruptions to Courtroom services. Ensuring existing mitigation measures are effective is a priority for the Office of the Registrar in 2006-2007 as there have been significant disruptions to hearings as a result of system failures. The Courtroom Audio Visual and Information Technology project is a high priority.
  
• Provision of media access. Significant progress has been made in recent years to improve the quality of media access by allowing members of the media sufficient time to read a decision and reasons for judgment in some cases before they become public. (This process is known as a media lock-up.) Although the media has generally been satisfied with the information provided, the Office of the Registrar will be endeavoring to further customize the information provided to the specific requirements of the media, and to enable the media to access more information on a self-serve basis.
  
• Physical security. The Office of the Registrar will be continuing to follow up during 2006-2007 on the results of a security audit, including updating its business resumption plan, and conducting ongoing threat and risk assessments, in order to maintain a high level of security of the facilities.

Expected result: Access to information

The Office of the Registrar will be continuing to develop and implement its long term strategy to improve the management of, and access to, information. Key indicators are:

• Internal access to case information. Enhancements will continue to be made to the Court's Case Management System as users rely heavily on this application, with a view to ensuring that case information is readily available in electronic format, that the information is up-to-date, complete and accurate, and that a consistent quality of information is available to users.
  
• Quality of storage, retention and preservation of Court information. That is, the quality of storage, retention and preservation of Court records. Specific challenges revolve around the introduction of information standards (e.g., metadata, classification, naming conventions), streamlined policy documentation, consistent and adequate management processes and controls (including the management of Judges' private papers), and long term archival requirements across various formats and media. The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) Phase II project will support the achievement of this objective.
  
  Expected result: Reliable payment process for payments pursuant to the Judges Act
  
• Accuracy and timeliness of payments. The accuracy and timeliness of payments are monitored on an ongoing basis.

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