Solicitors are often frightened of using IT, says judge

Frightened solicitors are behind courts in using IT, it was claimed this week after a pilot scheme in Preston to issue court applications by e-mail made a disappointing start.Only 33 solicitors applied to the scheme since its launch on 5 February as part of the governments court modernisation programme (see [2001] Gazette, 12 January, 22).District Judge Gordon Ashton of Preston Combined Court suggested one reason for the slow start.

I think many practitioners are frightened of the new technology, and many of them are not as conversant with it as they would like, he said.

Solicitors are frightened that if something goes wrong, there will be a disaster.The court offers training to guide local solicitors through the technology and problems they may encounter.

An LCD spokesman said: The courts are ahead of the game, and it appears solicitors are lagging behind.Victoria MacCallum