E-litigation in the Technology and Construction Court: An Expert's Experience

Dr Ronan Champion

April 2011

A paper presented to the Technology and Construction Bar Association's Annual Conference in London on 29th January and the Society of Construction Law in Newcastle on 9th February 2011

Traditionally, the conduct of construction litigation has always been paper based, with even electronic documents being printed to be available to the parties, advocates and court in paper printed form. More recently, with the support of the UK courts, documents are being exchanged or disclosed in electronic form and litigators are reluctantly having to change. Ronan Champion, looking from his perspective as an expert witness, looks at the wide range of issues that arise and the impact of using e-documents.

Introduction - From paper to e-documents - Gaining access to documents - Documents in their native form of pdf? - Scope of disclosure - The courts, e-disclosure and Practice Direction 31B - Searches, keywords and document management systems - Use of e-documents at trials and hearings - a look to the future.

Dr Ronan Champion BSc, MA, LLB, PhD, FRICS, FCIOB is a partner of Champion Pearce LLP in London.

Text 20 pages.