Samenvatting

One branch of legal technology that holds particular promise for non-professionals is developing access to justice through the use of online dispute resolution (‘ODR’). This is because ODR can use technology to enable online claim diagnosis, negotiation, and mediation without the time, money, and stress of traditional court processes. Indeed, courts are now moving traffic ticket, landlord-tenant, personal injury, debt collection, and even divorce claims online. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the growth of online processes, including court and administrative processes that traditionally occurred in person. Nonetheless, these online processes seem focused mainly on case management and communication, neglecting the need for more imaginative and innovative uses of technology. We propose a six-module system for ODR programs and identifies gaps in development where new technologies are needed to advance access to justice.