The digitalisation of tribunals and vulnerability

An ambitious court and tribunals reform and modernisation programme has been underway in the UK since 2016. The purpose is to make the justice system more accessible and efficient through the digitalisation of documents and hearings. This commenced in carefully planned pilots. The pandemic forced the plans for a remote justice system to be stress-tested, in many cases prematurely. In this short analysis I discuss the tribunals modernisation programme, vulnerably in context, to then highlight some of the challenges that became apparent in relation to vulnerable users. I also reflect on what lessons we can draw for the modernisation agenda. To do this, I will look at the reform ambitions, evaluation reports, as well as draw on my recent empirical research on the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) tribunal. With users in mind, I offer some thoughts for designing an inclusive digital justice system.