Prosecuting criminals for war crimes or genocide requires a complex number of laws that can baffle even the most experienced prosecutor.

That's where Case Matrix comes in. The software helps prosecutors manage large, international trials and keeps them from dragging on indefinitely.

Klaus Rackwitz, a lawyer and administrator at the International Criminal Court in Den Haag, developed the software. While not yet in widespread use, he hopes his system will help investigators bring order to the thousands of pieces of evidence they deal with each day. The program also contains information about actual case law and important law texts. Complex case facts are simplified.

"The system has been designed so it can be used in all national and international courts," Rackwitz said.

International crimes

For the most part, a world-wide legal standard exists for criminal offenses like genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, Rackwitz said. His software sees to it that everyone knows and understands these common standards.

International law is a relatively young legal discipline. Historically, very few examples exist. The Nuremberg Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal and the recent ad-hoc tribunals in Yugoslavia and Rwanda are the most well-known examples.

In the case of Rwanda, a coordinated and simplified international approach would have greatly helped with the investigation into the torture and genocide there. Information technology can help make corresponding case law clearer and more coherent.

Keeping perspective

Case Matrix also helps keep users from getting bogged down in thousands of small documents and maintain perspective of the case, Rackwitz said.

"We catalogue the case law, develop it, make catchwords available," he said. "The system should help the user…not lose the overview under the hundreds or thousands of documents. And afterwards, should help to order and present the facts."

Right now the system is Internet-based. Rackwitz wants to make it also available as a software application for all computers. That would allow investigators in far-flung places without a lot of technology to also use the tool.