Author: Judith Townend

Judith Townend is lecturer in media and information law at the University of Sussex and an associate research fellow at the Information Law and Policy Centre, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

Online courts: the human impact

The testing of online courts should not simply be about whether the technology works, said Andrew Langdon QC, chairman of the Bar, at an event on 16 February hosted by the UCL Judicial Institute, “The Case for Online Courts”. He sensibly pointed out the “human process” of law, and the potential impacts of the transition […]

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Can ODR deliver better access to justice?

Professor Richard Susskind OBE is well known within the legal profession for his numerous books predicting a dramatic transformation in legal practice, and calling for an overhaul of 21st century lawyering. In February 2015 he made national headlines for his proposed eBay-style scheme for online dispute resolution (ODR) and the recommendation that HMCTS introduce a […]

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The new Centre for Law and Information Policy

Data are – or is – everything and everywhere, flowing through everyday life, our workplaces, our homes and our minds. Social, political and legal activity is documented and controlled through digital information records, affecting all UK citizens, even those who have never used the internet or a mobile phone. The question of how data and […]

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A court reporting restriction database

The Law Commission has recently recommended the introduction of an online database of “postponement” orders. What are its chances of success? The legal framework around contempt of court puts the onus on court reporters to ascertain the terms of relevant reporting restriction orders in given criminal cases. They are expected to be familiar with the […]

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Justice wide open

The principle of open justice has been robustly developed in English law since the mid-17th century, but the courts service in England and Wales has yet to fully utilise online technology for the dissemination of courts information and legal knowledge. The UK Supreme Court, which opened its doors to the public in 2009, leads the […]

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