The profession of law is steeped in time-honoured traditions and procedures. While the past has served us well, we must also look to the future and learn to embrace the potential benefits of emerging technology.
The provincial government’s $166-million plan to deliver more legal services online, replacing paper-based procedures with a digital platform to support access to the Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Court of Justice, is the latest example of how technology is being implemented to improve the court system in this province.
Funding was announced on June 18th, but the Courts Digital Transformation initiative was first introduced in November 2021. The government promised that it “will be the most significant single step forward in the digital evolution of justice in Canada, replacing outdated paper-based procedures with an online platform to manage cases, documents and schedules”.
Game-Changing Technology.
“Our government’s new digital solution is a game-changer that will provide Ontarians with on- demand access to their legal matters,” said Attorney General Doug Downey. “Building on numerous recent breakthroughs, this central piece of the Justice Accelerated Strategy will provide the tools needed to better meet expectations for how justice can be done in 2021 and beyond.”
According to the Ministry of the Attorney General, the initiative will allow court users to:
- digitally access court information 24 hours a day from anywhere;
- submit and view documents online;
- file even more court documents in more types of matters;
- have easier, faster access to court records;
- schedule matters and appearances;
- pay fees online;
- receive decisions electronically.
As part of an ongoing plan, the government announced in February 2022 that it would be investing $65 million over five years to ensure that more courtrooms across the province are equipped with technology to enable people to access hearings through video or audio. Court users can now electronically submit more than 700 different types of court documents for family, civil, divisional and small claims court matters, the ministry states. The recent move was hailed by Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz and Ontario Court Chief Justice Sharon Nicklas.
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