Enhancing access to justice through online intervention: why online courts should show restraint

Authors

Patrick Prestige

Document Type

Graduate Article

Abstract

Those who take an interest in the legal system of England and Wales have long recognised that it has insuperable problems. The cost and time barriers for those seeking legal redress often results in justice not being attainable. Fear not, Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) say, for we are implementing a reform proposal to rectify these barriers. Splendid, says the uninformed onlooker. However, what is the opinion of the informed observer? This article provides an analysis of the Online Court Reform Programme. It does so by assessing the current reform proposal in light of two pragmatic reform models: (i) real-world behaviour; and (ii) comparative realism. Following its analysis, the article should provide the reader with the ability to make an informed decision as to whether the imminent introduction of online courts is a reform strategy worthy of support.

Publication Date

2021-01-01

Publication Title

The Plymouth Law Review

Volume

14

Issue

1

First Page

22

Last Page

39

Recommended Citation

Prestige, Patrick (2021) "Enhancing access to justice through online intervention: why online courts should show restraint," Plymouth Law Review: Vol. 14, Article 11.
Available at: https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/plr/vol14/iss1/11