A central London family court room has successfully introduced new ‘paper free’ information technology.
The London Borough of Southwark has rolled out special legal software called Digital Courtrooms, after a pilot of just six weeks. The custom software suite provides a way to digitalise elements of the court system which still function via printed paper – in particular the creation of case ‘bundles’ by each side. These consist of evidence and supporting documentation and are sometimes hundreds of pages long, to the occasional frustration of judges. They are now delivered by a digital technology called ‘data rooms’.
The system includes the latest digital security standards and also features a simple to use interface. The Borough’s Philip Barker explained:
“In a little over a month Southwark and the Central London Family Court, under the direction of [South London Legal Partnership], have moved into the digital age. Trial bundles are now securely delivered using Data Rooms rather than outdated and unreliable couriers or the DX paper system.”
DX is a specialised courier system widely used by law firms and courts.
The South London Legal Partnership is a multi-borough legal service.
Under a separate pilot scheme due to run until next April, forms related to financial remedy applications can also be filed electronically at the Central London Family Court.
Saves all the embarrassment of the ever-growing, paper mountain of back-logged files awaiting action by HM Courts Service. Wonder what the current Central London County Court postal back-log is running at nowadays?
What about litigants with no email/internet?