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Civil justice: no going back?

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Where now for the civil justice system post-COVID, asks Shirley Denyer
  • Service of documents including proceedings.
  • Remote hearings and e-documents.

As anyone involved in civil justice will know, the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in a transformation of the system. With the judiciary, legal representatives and parties confined to their homes, and attendance at court rendered impossible, the court service rose to the occasion to maintain access to justice.

Changes to the system impossible to imagine in February 2020 have become the norm. Forum of Insurance Lawyers (FOIL) members recognise fully the enormous pressure the crisis placed on the court service and are very appreciative of the hard work and commitment that has been shown to keep the system in operation.

With the vaccine programme now well underway in the UK, with some hope of normality returning, attention is turning to the longer-term implications of the pandemic on court reform. In effect, COVID has been the catalyst for the biggest pilot scheme ever experienced in the court

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NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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