Court e-mail revolution deletes judge caricature

Solicitors will be able to issue court applications by e-mail under a pilot scheme organised by the Court Service and set to start in Preston next month.The six-month pilot will enable solicitors to issue certain applications in civil, family and insolvency cases - such as applications to disclose evidence - by e-mail.District judges will then consider the applications on their computers and may resolve the issue without recourse to court hearings.The scheme is part of the government's 'civil.justice.2000' strategy, unveiled last year (see [2000] Gazette 29 June, 4), and a new programme, called 'Modernising the Civil Courts', for which a consultation paper will be launched later this month.Ian Magee, head of the Court Service, said: 'E-mail has the potential to offer a new and improved way of providing some court services.'This pilot will show us whether it is possible to reduce delay, cost, and the need to attend court by using e-mail to send applications to the judge.

It will also help test the demand for this service and whether it can enhance the case management role of judges.'Preston Combined Court centre's designated civil judge, Mr Justice Appleton, referring to an old comic strip caricature of a judge, said: 'I announce with scant regret, the satirical character Mr Justice Cocklecarrot is consigned to the recycling bin, along with his quill pen, dusty books and crusted port.

'As old Cocklecarrot disappears into history, year 2001 judges arrive with lap-tops, Lord Woolf's civil justice reforms and an eagerness to succeed as the pioneers of IT litigation.'Lawyers in Preston are enthusiastic about the scheme.

Michael Turner, head of personal injury (PI) and matrimonial with Preston-based Napthen Houghton Craven, said: 'We think this is the way forward.

There is an opportunity for justice to be speeded up and we will give it our full support; we are very keen to use the new scheme.'Jeremy Fleming