New justice program offers online service

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia has become the first province in the country to offer an online platform to resolving family legal matters — eCourt.

The pilot program provides an online platform through which parties on both sides are able to engage in real time, online exchanges with a judge for dispute resolution. The program first began in July in Halifax and is expected to be expanded into other areas of the province later this fall.

eCourt is currently only available for those represented by a lawyer but there are plans to include full access for self-represented litigants.

“This innovative and transformative project will provide quicker and more direct access to resolutions for those experiencing divorce, child custody or spousal or child support issues,” said Mark Furey, attorney general and minister of justice.

eCourt is an alternative to the traditional in-person court process, which for some can be confrontational.

The online platform also provides better support those needing to arrange child care, transportation, time off from work, or other accommodations to attend court in person.

Additional features of the program include electronic filing and exchange of motions, affidavits and other court documents, virtual conferencing and the creation of an electronic record of all online proceedings.

“It is important that Nova Scotia’s Family Justice System be affordable and accessible. This new online judicial process offers a less costly, more focused and quicker dispute resolution process,” Supreme Court family division Justice R. James Williams said in a press release announcing the new service.

The eCourt pilot will be used to solve simple family legal issues and initial outcomes indicate a more than 65 per cent improvement in processing time for case management conferences.

The project is partially funded through a re-investment of provincial savings resulting from the federal government’s expansion of unified family courts across the province.