In a recent speech by Sir James Munby, at the Family Law Bar Association, he announced that there are revolutionary reforms underway, one being that people will be being able to divorce online from next year. The reform is aiming to work towards achieving a paperless court over the next four years.
With the increasing numbers of litigants in person, moving to a digital word, could be said to be the way of the future, and the court system has to move with the times. The process from start to finish will be conducted online and the future is to achieve a digital court, with proceedings being issued online and even some proceedings, including the final hearing be conducted online from the comfort of your own home. However, the more complex and heavy cases will continue to be conducted in a court room.
In an ever increasing digital world, moving into a new phase of radical reform to a digital court will of course have its pros and cons. No doubt there will be many sceptics who are weary of the changes, but given that we live in a digital world, which has changed the way in which companies and individuals alike do business, surely such a change in the court process is inevitable.
Victoria Constanti – [email protected]