Judicial Review and Courts Bill proposes provisions for online courts

Article summary

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced the introduction of the Judicial Review and Courts Bill to Parliament. Although the Bill focuses on reforms to judicial review, chapter two of the Bill contains provisions for civil proceedings in online courts. The Bill establishes a framework for ‘Online Procedure Rules’ to be made by the new ‘Online Procedure Rule Committee’ (OPRC), in addition to providing for the membership and scope of the OPRC and the process for developing Online Procedure Rules. According to the Bill, the ‘Online Procedure Rules’ are to require specific proceedings to be initiated by electronic means, may enable or require certain proceedings to be ‘conducted, progressed or disposed of by electronic means’ and may authorise or require parties (and their representatives) to proceedings to participate in hearings by electronic means.