Virtual courts: A step forward or a step too far?

“What will legal practice be like a quarter of a century from now?” (Widdison, 1997, pp. 143). This extract from Widdison’s seminal works in technology and legal practice predicted that information technology (IT) would revolutionise the legal profession, fundamentally altering how justice is administered, with significant changes in “what lawyers do, how they do it, where they do it, and when they do it.” (Widdison, 1997, pp. 143). Over two decades later, we ask ourselves this very same question. As courts increasingly adopt virtual platforms, questions emerge about whether these technological advancements enhance access to justice or undermine core principles such as fairness, transparency, reliability, and participation. As such, this chapter discusses the future of adversarial court systems, exploring whether virtual courts represent a transformative step forward or introduces new challenges for justice in a digital age.