Courts, litigants and the digital age : law, ethics and practice

Courts Litigants and the Digital Age examines the ramifications of technology for courts, judges, and the administration of justice. It sets out the issues raised by technology, and, particularly, the Internet, so that conventional paradigms can be updated in the judicial context. In particular, the book dwells on issues such as proper judicial use of Internet sources, judicial ethics and social networking, electronic court records and anonymisation techniques, control of the courtroom and jurors' use of new technologies, as well as the Internet's impact on judicial appointments and the diversity of the judiciary. Through examination of relevant practical, legal, and ethical issues, it endeavours to extract lessons from the developing issues surveyed.

Framing the issues -- A "body of precedent written on the wind?" : Wiki courts, "link rot," and independent judicial internet research -- The open-court principle, litigant privacy, and electronic court records -- "De-anonymization" and "re-anonymization" : why traditional assumptions no longer apply -- "Googling" the judges and the perception of impartiality : out of court speech, internet search engines, and judicial ethics -- Facebook, social networking, and the appearance of impropriety : for judges less is more -- Social networking and cyber research undermining the jury system.