Newsbits
Here's a glimpse of change in the trappings of civil justice MichaelP ====================================== Times (london) September 11 1998 BRITAIN Line Courts will sit in session on the Internet BY FRANCES GIBB, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT PEOPLE will resolve many legal disputes over the Internet from their homes, rather than going to court, under plans unveiled yesterday. Geoff Hoon, Minister of State at the Lord Chancellor's Department, outlined proposals that envisage "virtual" court hearings in which people can communicate with the judge and lawyers over the Internet via their television sets. Many of the traditional trappings of justice - including legal documents, books, papers and court hearings - are likely to disappear. The proposals put forward in the consultation paper, civil.justice, form the first draft of an information technology strategy for the next 15 years. Judges and lawyers will still be needed. But much routine legal work will be computerised and packaged as an online product, such as drafting standard contracts and agreements. The paper asks: "Is it the physical courtroom with associated trappings that is important to most people, or is it the confidence that their dispute is being addressed by an appropriate, impartial person?" Many more cases could be disposed of via "virtual" hearings that could be less daunting and more cost-effective for certain kinds of grievance, such as many tribunal claims. The paper suggests that people would obtain far more legal advice and information online than from lawyers, using computer kiosks or terminals in shopping malls and courts, and via the Internet. The paper suggests the creation of a website to act as an online civil justice service, a first port of call for anyone seeking information or advice on legal problems. Lawyers would also have to change the way they work, and move away from providing a high-cost advice service billed by the hour. Legal products for mass consumption would be developed online and legal services sold in high volume at lower prices. The paper says that there is a large unmet need for legal services that might be better served by online legal services providing "affordable, jargon-free legal help at the fingertips of large numbers of clients across the World Wide Web." Responses to the paper are invited by December 18. The paper is on the department's website: www.open.gov.uk/lcd/index.htm ** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. ** Newsbit furnished by:
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