The summary of reforms in this month’s Ministry of Justice consultation paper Transforming our Justice System says that work has already begun to allow divorce applications to be made and managed online.
The aim is to remove some of the bureaucracy from often stressful and lengthy proceedings and simplify cumbersome administrative processes.
There is excitement and expectation about this among the family law community, but we need to be patient. My enquiries of HM Courts & Tribunals Service show that the process is still at an early stage. HMCTS is looking at how it can build and roll out an online system and whether or not there should be a pilot site. Research has started with ‘end-users’ (divorcing spouses) about how any problems with the present procedure can best be tackled.
I understand that they hope to have more information in a couple of months.
Tony Roe, principal, solicitor and family law arbitrator, Tony Roe Solicitors, Theale, Reading
