Legal Research

Law Reform & Technology

By Patricia Hughes

I am taking advantage of the judicial posts to invite, on behalf of the Law Commission of Ontario, project proposals dealing with technology and the law.

Both Justices Turnball’s and Granger’s posts illustrate the advantages of using advanced technology in the courtroom. I am aware about how effectively technology has been used for all judges in the Court of Appeal in Calgary, as another example. I note John Gregory’s comment about the need for a more integrated electronic system as part of my inquiry.

I raise the following questions purely for consideration and by no means to suggest they exhaust the subject:
* is it time for development of a comprehensive approach towards the use of technology in the courtroom?
* are there particular aspects of the dispute resolution process that could benefit from a systematically developed approach using advanced technology?
* Does there need to be a principled way to use technology for those who have easy access and capacity while providing for more traditional methods of using the legal system for those who may have neither?

Anyone interested in making a proposal can check the LCO website. Or let’s talk about it.

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on November 24, 2009 (boomark / email).