Firms send court papers by electronic transferA pilot scheme to test electronic transfers between the Court Service and solicitors' firms was launched this week.The scheme will deal in transfers of documents between the Court Service's bulk centre in Northampton and two firms, Geoffrey Parker-Bourne in Stratford-upon-Avon and Thomas Higgins & Co, based inWallasey, Merseyside.The pilot scheme should enable the firms to make requests for claims for money, judgments and warrants electronically direct to the bulk centre, replacing conventional tapes and floppy disks sent bycourier or post.Ken Fraser, manager of the bulk centre - which processes 54% of all county court claims for money - said: 'By introducing electronictransfer, we will be able to provide an improved service to a significant number of county court customers, making it easier, quicker, andcheaper for them to communicate.' He added that the development should also free up county court staff to focus on disputed claims.It is hoped that once the pilot is completed, the service will be made available to all of the bulk centre's customers from this autumn.Brian Havercroft, litigation manager at Geoffrey Parker-Bourne, said: 'This firm issues more consumer claims than any other in the country.

At the moment, we send tapes and disks through couriers, but this development will allow us toharness the new technology.'Jeremy Fleming