Online Procedure Rule Committee set up as Lord Chancellor and senior judiciary set out vision for future of civil and family courts and tribunals system

The Lord Chancellor and senior judiciary have set out a “shared vision” for the future of the civil and family courts and tribunals system, including the establishment of an Online Procedure Rule Committee (OPRC).

The OPRC will provide governance and develop data standards for the system, to aid the “effective and safe transfer of people’s data”, the statement revealed.

The Lord Chancellor and senior judiciary said that they wanted to make it easier for people experiencing legal problems to access “high quality” information and support “at the right time and in the right way”.

They added that they would use advances in technology to support the delivery of this, including exploring “safe and appropriate uses of AI”.  

Another key aim outlined within the shared vision was to enable people to resolve their problems “earlier and at less cost”, for example through mediation or online dispute resolution.

“They should be safe in the knowledge that if this is not successful, it will be straightforward to take the next step of seeking judicial determination through the courts or tribunals,” the statement said.

The Lord Chancellor and senior judiciary added: “We will encourage and build online and offline connections between different parts of the system to achieve solutions.”

Turning to the establishment of the OPRC, it was noted that the Chancellor, the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts & Tribunals service will support the committee to “embed” the data standards with the third and private sector organisations that deliver information, support and dispute resolution services.  

Concluding their ‘shared vision’, the organisations noted: “With this collaboration, we will ensure that our justice system supports people from the earliest point they begin to experience a legal problem.

“It will provide people with the right information and support to understand all their options. It will empower them to resolve their problem in a way that meets their needs and is proportionate to the matter in dispute. A judicial determination provided through our courts and tribunals will always be available where necessary.”

Lottie Winson