Here's a glimpse of change in the trappings of civil justice
MichaelP
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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
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Thanks Tim!
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