Courtrooms looking to replace paper with tablets

A mock trial in the UK will be held to test the viability of tablets in the courtroom in hopes to replace most or all of the paper typically used during such proceedings.

According to Press Association, judges, jurors, barristers and prosecutors will be given “iPad-style devices” during the trial, complete with all of the necessary documents and evidence needed to perform their respective duties. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is expecting savings of up to £50 million ($77.98 million USD) across England and Wales from the switch to tablets.

“It is the biggest change I have ever seen in my career prosecuting for 18 years,” said deputy chief Crown prosecutor Andrew Baxter to The Guardian. With tablets, other institutions and criminal justice agencies in particular can be more closely involved to related court cases.

So, what exactly are these “ipad-like devices” in the mock trial? Apparently, HP will be supplying up to 35 tablets for the mock trial, although hard copies will still be available in the case of technological hiccups or glitches. No, these aren’t the discontinued TouchPads either, as the tablets to be used will reportedly cost up to £1000 ($1559 USD) each.

With the switch to tablets, CPS is hoping to have all information transferring digitally between its criminal justice agencies by April 2012.

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