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I have to commend you, Roger, for the restraint exercised in your excellent analysis of the MOJ's paper. I find myself near-speechless with anger at the post-LASPO landscape in the family justice system. As you rightly point out, the consequences of the budgetary slash and burn have been known of for some time and yet...and yet, no solid proposals to mitigate the damage done have yet emerged.

The digital delivery of justice presents opportunities but we all know it is almost entirely driven by austerity rather than a considered, evidence-based, appropriately resourced initiative intended to respect rights at law and restore access to them. How are those people who do not have access to the internet, or digital devices, or with communicational difficulties going to access such services? At the moment, there appears to be a hodge podge of well-intentioned organisations, mostly voluntary, trying to bridge the yawning gap left by the state. Such services, in the main, focus on information and some assistance, but not advice. The MOJ's own research: "Pathways to Justice" accepted the human need and demand for focussed, bespoke advice (nearly always from a lawyer).

Early intervention in family relationship breakdown, advice-based if necessary, complementing digital platforms, could be provided by lawyers if the MOJ accepted that such funding (much like the time-limited Green Form scheme) could save greater costs down the road. Such a scheme would also ensure that the digitally disenfranchised do not miss out either.

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