E-Governance and Justice Administration System in Enugu State

This study examined the effect of e-governance on the justice administration system in Enugu State, Nigeria, with particular focus on e-filing, virtual hearings, and e-probate. The specific objectives were to evaluate the effect of e-filing on justice administration, determine the effect of virtual hearings on justice delivery, and establish the effect of e-probate on justice administration in Enugu State. The study was anchored on Systems Theory, propounded by Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968), which explains organizations as interrelated systems whose components function collectively to achieve organizational goals. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The study population comprised 1,002 judges, magistrates, registrars, lawyers, court clerks, and ICT personnel in the Enugu State judiciary. A sample size of 347 respondents was determined using the Freund and Williams (1986) formula, while stratified random sampling technique was employed to ensure adequate representation of all categories of respondents. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires, complemented by oral interviews and secondary data from journals, textbooks, policy documents, and official reports. The research instrument was validated through face and content validity, while reliability was established using the test-retest method with a Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.78. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test). The findings revealed that e-filing significantly improves justice administration by enhancing efficiency, reducing case backlogs, and improving transparency. Virtual hearings were found to significantly enhance justice delivery through faster adjudication, reduced delays, and improved access to justice. Similarly, e-probate significantly streamlined probate administration by reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks, enhancing transparency, and improving the efficiency of estate administration. The study concluded that e-governance tools have significantly improved the justice administration system in Enugu State by promoting efficiency, accountability, accessibility, and timely justice delivery. The study recommended sustained investment in ICT infrastructure, continuous capacity building for judicial personnel, expansion of digital court services, and strengthened implementation of e-governance initiatives to enhance judicial performance and public confidence in the justice system.