Policy Issues

Civil Justice Council

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By Sue Prince

The growth of the on-line market and cross-border consumer transactions create a new world for dispute resolution. In the courts, there is a demand to enable current infrastructure to remain effective in light of developments in the use of technology and the user of the internet for business. The weight of cases going through the courts clashes with increasingly difficult financial circumstances that prioritise efficiency and expediency. Projects and tasks meeting the goals of proportionality, speed and efficiency are a priority.

This paper will consider:

  • ODR and ADR and business;
  • Statistics on the use of the courts, especially for cases under £25k in value;
  • Relevant government policy on the wider use of mediation in the civil justice system;
  • Policy on the use of IT in the courts; the EU and worldwide
  • Regulatory developments in the EU and worldwide and their impact on government policy;
  • Developments in the legal profession following the Legal Services Act 2007.