Internationally accomplished software provider Tyler Technologies* examines the benefits of online dispute resolution (ODR) in courtrooms caught up in the COVID-19 pandemic.
When courtrooms shut down due to critical emergencies, whether it be a natural disaster or a pandemic, that doesn’t necessarily mean that court business shuts down as well.
In almost all cases, court business must continue to run as much as possible to prevent a large backlog of cases and ensure access to justice for those citizens who need it.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the ways many courts were able to shift to remote operations after courtrooms had closed was to use online dispute resolution (ODR).
Courts set up ODR to bring essential court services to its citizens in a more convenient way.
Why ODR?
Many courts struggle with the volume of cases being filed.
Plus, with the advent of the internet and mobile communications, citizens not only expect, but demand faster outcomes to all manner of disputes.
ODR alleviates the pressure on the courts by empowering parties and putting them in control of case resolution by leading them step-by-step through an online process that will enable them to resolve disputes as quickly as possible.
ODR solutions, such as Tyler Technologies’ Modria® solution, deliver out-of-the box resolution flows and features that help parties automatically resolve most common – and historically time-consuming – disputes from debt to small claims to child custody and other complex case types.
For example, here are some of the features that courts and the parties involved in the dispute are using Tyler’s Modria ODR:
- Built-in, persistent chat available for the life of the dispute; no more restarting conversations
- Document and email templates that are easily customizable
- Support for mediation and evaluation so you can have neutral parties facilitate or decide an issue
- Real-time dashboards, pre-configured reports, and data export options help you stay on top of your caseload
Since ODR enables parties to communicate at their convenience, it gives them the time and space to thoughtfully consider their responses and avoid overly emotional comments during the self-directed dispute resolution process. And if they can’t work out the dispute themselves, either party may invite a mediator from within the platform to help them resolve the issue.
ODR BENEFITS FOR THE COURT
- Reduces case backlogs quickly
- Cuts time to resolution by more than 50% faster
- Reduces litigation
- Decreases costs
- Integrates into your existing case management system (CMS) and e-filing workflows
- Frees up court resources to focus on more complex cases
- Tracks dispute activity in aggregate or on a case-specific basis
- Assigns a mediator or arbitrator to a case
ODR BENEFITS FOR THE CITIZEN
- Empower citizens to resolve their own disputes
- Provide easier access to court processes without the need for representation
- Faster time to resolution
- Lower cost alternative to litigation
- Highly intuitive online experience
- No more waiting in lines or on hold
- Resolve disputes from anywhere in the world, 24/7
Click here to learn more about how one growing area in Texas, USA, increased access to justice by using ODR.
