Digital reform in the courts must prioritise inclusion over efficiency, write Professors Sue Prince (University of Exeter) and Liz Smart (Birmingham City University) in this week's NLJ. As HMCTS continues its £1.2bn modernisation programme, the authors warn that replacing paper with digital risks excluding vulnerable users unless reforms are user-centred
Their Civil Justice Council report, ‘Digital Disadvantage’, highlights inconsistent terminology and calls for a shift from deficit-based language to a unified focus on inclusion. They advocate for mapping user journeys, embedding public legal education, and creating a central hub for digital inclusion strategy.
The authors stress that even tech-savvy users may struggle with online systems during stressful legal proceedings. True access to justice, they argue, means designing systems that work for everyone—not just the digitally literate. Digital transformation must not come at the cost of fairness.
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