Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is technology that converts images of text, such as scanned documents or photographs, into machine-readable, searchable, and editable text. When a document is scanned using a phone or photocopier, it is initially just a picture of text. OCR analyses the picture and identifies each character, transforming it into actual digital text.

Why is OCR Important for a Court Bundle?

Court bundles are often compiled from a mix of sources in different file formats. Anything that starts life as a file created electronically (for example, Word, Excel, or email) will automatically be text searchable. However, when a document is scanned in (by phone or photocopier) and added to a bundle, they are unsearchable and less accessible.

OCR is critical for court bundles because it enables:

Searchability

Judges, barristers, and solicitors can instantly locate key terms, dates, or names across hundreds of pages.

Hyperlinking

Properly OCR'd bundles allow internal cross-referencing between documents and indexes.

Compliance

Most UK Court guidelines (practice directions) require files added to a bundle to be text searchable ‘where possible,’ but with Zylpha, this removes the guesswork as we can automatically add the OCR text layer to your scanned witness statements, contracts, correspondence, and exhibits.

Data protection

When all files within a bundle are correctly OCR’d, it makes it easier to search for specific information and then remove it from the bundle either by removing the document or by adding redaction to the document.

Efficiency

Legal teams save significant time navigating large bundles during hearings as they do not need to manually search for specific text/images.

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