• Login
    View Item 
    •   UNZA Repository Home
    • Education
    • Library and Information Studies
    • View Item
    •   UNZA Repository Home
    • Education
    • Library and Information Studies
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Information needs and information seeking behaviour of judges and lawyers: A study of the judiciary superior courts in Lusaka, Zambia

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Journal Article (711.4Kb)
    Date
    2019-01
    Author
    Kaluba, Chembe
    Mulauzi, Felesia
    Type
    Article
    Language
    en
    Metadata
    Show full item record

    Abstract
    Understanding the information needs and seeking behaviour of users is imperative in developing effective information systems and services to meet their information needs. Lawyers and Judges heavily depend on appropriate and reliable evidence in the administration of sound justice. However, little is known about the information needs and seeking behaviour of Layers and judges in Africa and Zambia in particular. The purpose of this study was to investigate the information needs and seeking behaviour of judges and lawyers at the four superior courts of judiciary in Lusaka, Zambia. Specifically, the study investigated the information needs of layers and judges; their sources of information; the challenges they faced to access needed information. A survey approach was adopted for this study and employed quantitative methods. Simple random sampling techniques was used to select judges and lawyers. Forty-five legal practitioners that included 27 judges and 18 lawyers participated in the study. Data was analyzed using the SPSS 23.0 software The study revealed that judges and lawyers had varied information needs and included case preparation (67%), administration of justice (60%), past decisions (87%), statutes (71%), current awareness (69%), general knowledge (47%), job presentation or professional conduct (76%) and information concerning research activities (73%). Respondents indicated that court libraries (98%), personal libraries (79%), online databases (76%), offline databases (76%), decided cases (98%), other legal libraries (7%) and colleagues in the profession (73%) were main sources of information they consulted to make decisions. However, judges and lawyers reported to encounter a number of problems in their quest for information which included difficult to find latest information (82%), information not readily available (69%), lack of information diversity (67%), information not easily accessible (62%), poor internet connectivity (60%), limited time (80%) and information overload (71%). The study recommended for well-stocked court libraries, with up-to-date varied forms of information and improved Internet connectivity. It was concluded that it is important for judges and lawyers’ information needs to be effectively met for them to make sound legal decisions.
    URI
    http://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/5755
    Publisher
    The International Journal of Multi-Disciplinary Research
    Subject
    Information needs
    Information seeking behavior
    Legal information
    Administration of justice
    Judges
    Lawyers
    Legal practitioners
    Zambia
    Collections
    • Library and Information Studies [75]

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Thumbnail

      Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to provide information to fight poverty, diseases and ignorance among rural women in Zambia 

      Mulauzi, Felesia; Wamundila, Sitali (Zambia Library Association, 2010)
      In today’s information society, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can be potentially used for provision of information to fight poverty, diseases and ignorance among rural women in Zambia. Even though much ...
    • Thumbnail

      Information needs and seeking behavior of women with no formal education: A case study of Ng’ombe township in Lusaka, Zambia 

      Mulauzi, Felesia (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2017-09)
      This study focused at exploring the information needs and seeking behavior of women with no formal education in Lusaka, Zambia. The specific objectives of the study included the kinds of activities participants were involved ...
    • Thumbnail

      Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and development information for professional women in Zambia 

      Mulauzi, Felesia; Kendra, Albright (Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, 2009)
      Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can contribute to the development information needs of women in the developing world. While a number of studies have examined the relationship between gender and ICTs, few ...

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    UNZA homepage | UNZA Library | Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of UNZA RepositoryCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    UNZA homepage | UNZA Library | Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV