Bold Measures in ODR

ODR and A2J for The “Invisibles” by Daniel Rainey “Brain Waste” is a term of art among refugee populations that refers to an all too common phenomenon involving the loss of credentials among those who have been forced to move from homelands to “safe” havens in host countries.   A glaring example is the brain waste involving health care professionals who are forced into refugee status.  Doctors with well established credentials and years of practice find themselves without credentials recognized by the host country, unable to find work in the fields in which they were trained.  As one health professional observed, “The brain waste is appalling. These are individuals who could be taking care of children with asthma and instead are working at a car wash.” [1] But in one sense, these displaced doctors, nurses, and health professionals are lucky.  They have at least found a haven, and they have new identities in their host countries that allow them to make a living doing  some

What does it take to bring justice online? by Mirèze Philippe * Technology and communication have revolutionised the world in the last century like nothing before, and have become an indispensable tool in our daily personal, social and professional life. Instantaneous access to information and services has become normal and a must. Everything is online, and yet, justice cannot be accessed online like any service. Although efforts are undertaken in various countries by public and private initiatives, they are only a handful, and public and private justice remains severely missing online.  Providing access to justice through  online dispute resolution (“ODR”) ca n be an effective way to cure denials of justice to many people who have no other means to seek remedy.  The role of technology in dispute resolution  is high on the agenda and the topic is being increasingly at the centre of discussions.  In a world that is rapidly developing it is surprising to observe that ODR is lag

Can Technology Help Modernize the Nation’s Civil Courts?  Experts discuss potential of online dispute resolution by :  Erika Rickard  &  Amber Ivey  This article was originally published by The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Civil Legal System Modernization          State and local courts across the United States are beginning to adopt an adjudication approach known as online dispute resolution (ODR) that allows parties to resolve civil cases online without ever setting foot in a courthouse . In 2012, no jurisdiction had launched ODR, but today   dozens of pilots are underway to adapt the technology—first used in the private sector to handle disagreements over commercial transactions—to civil court systems. Many stakeholders are hopeful about the possibilities to streamline court business processes and remove obstacles to quick resolutions, but some voice concerns about power imbalances and differences in access to courts, issues that necessitate additional discussion an