New technologies will allow for a rethinking of the role of courts. Courts can become more accessible to pro se litigants. The last decade has seen a dramatic increase in the number of pro se litigants in all levels of the court system. The increase is especially large in the trial courts that hear family law cases. Increased use of technology offers a way of providing more information and assistance to these litigants and increasing their access to the court.
Internet technology can provide the public with access to the court from off-site locations.
This access can be used to obtain information and to file documents. For litigants with physical disabilities, for litigants in rural areas, and for litigants who work during the hours the clerk's office is open, information and filing on the Internet can give them access they might otherwise be denied. Many courts already have established Web sites with downloadable forms. If these are expanded and integrated with electronic filing, litigants could commence their cases without having to physically come into court. Once courts make information and filing available through the Internet, representatives from social service agencies, libraries, community centers, and other public agencies could be trained to provide this information to individuals who come to them for help.