The introduction of the E-Filing service to the Queen’s Bench will modernise access to justice and improve customer experience. The digital process is already used in the Royal Courts of Justice and Upper Tribunal. It became mandatory for some users in the Queen’s Bench on Monday 18 October.
E-filing is an online tool used by legal professionals on behalf of their clients. It can also be used by people who do not have a solicitor, known as ‘litigants in person’.
By using this service, all the documents – along with other information about a claim or case – can be sent together as one package, known as a ‘filing’.
The system allows users to pay fees online and keep up to date on progress via automatic email alerts. It also removes the need for a paper case file so staff and judiciary can manage cases digitally.
By passing work between teams and colleagues digitally, the system helps reduce delays caused by paper files being transported around buildings and offices.
From this week professional users filing a Queen’s Bench claim and appeal in the seven of the largest district registries (Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle) will now use the e-filing service. Other district registries will not be affected.