Cyber-judges' Web link will cost 1.7 million

JUDICIARY: First 1,000 judges receive Net access

Judges are to be thrust into the information age as they are given Internet access from their laptops at a cost of 1.7 million over three years.The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, announced this week that more than 1,000 full-time judges will be in the first round who receive a CD-Rom to connect their official laptop computers to the Web.The Court Service's open Web portal, called LEXicon, will go live on 17 July, eventually giving judges access from the courtroom.The Lord Chancellor's Department predicts that by mid-August, the 1,000 cyber-judges will be able to access the portal, which will link them to on-line legal information such as the European Court of Human Rights database and customised legal reference materials.

Judges struggling with the new technology will be able to telephone a help desk.

The Judicial Studies Board has also produced an interactive CD-Rom to help them.Lord Irvine said quick and easy access to the latest judgements and developments in law 'will be invaluable when the Human Rights Act comes into force on 2 October this year as judges develop UK human rights jurisprudence'.

Anne Mizzi