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The digital evidence management technology used by HMCTS in the Crown Courts (CaseLines DCS) could be rolled out in the Rolls Building at little or no cost to the court itself, through a user pays model as they do in Dubai, however it requires the court to make the leap and insist on only hearing cases presented digitally and to train their judges and court staff.

Until then law firms and lawyers will continue to send and present using paper, despite already filing electronically; which on a large case can be thousands of pages, as they create a rather splendid revenue stream in their preparation by paralegals at great cost to the client and the planet.

Once hearing are fully digitised, the Courts could also do their bit to make hearings more affordable by only awarding the costs of digital submissions, and refusing cost recovery for paper bundles.

Sean O'Connell is VP Marketing @ CaseLines