All small claims to be filed online as new system kicks off

ALL claims filed at the Small Claims Tribunals will now be filed online, as the first phase of the State Courts' Community Justice and Tribunals System (CJTS) kicked off on Monday.

With this new system, members of the public can file a claim online and access a suite of services such as submitting documents for their claims online, making payments online and selecting their court date.

A key development in the small claims process under the new CJTS is the ability for parties to e-negotiate a settlement on a secure, confidential platform before going to court.

If an amicable settlement has been reached through e-negotiation, the parties may apply online for a Tribunal Order directly from the system without having to go to court.

If the parties are unable to reach a settlement via the CJTS, the claim will then proceed to the consultation and hearing stages of the Small Claims process.

The implementation of the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals and the Employment Claims Tribunals processes into the CJTS will be progressively rolled out from the first quarter of 2018.