Client: A national courts service

Sector: Justice · access & inclusion

Solution: Unicorn Digital Courtroom, Unicorn Dispute Resolution, Unicorn Communication Services

How a national courts service put justice within reach of every citizen — tripling remote access and resolving most eligible disputes without a hearing at all.

Executive summary

For too many citizens, a day in court meant travel, lost wages and daunting logistics — barriers that fell hardest on those least able to bear them. A national courts service partnered with Tech Unicorn to make justice genuinely reachable: remote and hybrid hearings, online dispute resolution for eligible matters, and multilingual, accessible participation. Remote appearances tripled, most eligible disputes were resolved online without a hearing at all, and access widened precisely where it had been narrowest — while fee-waiver users participated entirely free.

Key outcomes

3× — increase in remote appearances

80% — of eligible disputes resolved online, without a hearing

65% — fewer missed appearances (no-shows)

4 — languages supported for participation

40% — lower cost for a citizen to appear

200K+ — citizens served each year

Free — for fee-waiver and limited-means participants

Client overview

The courts service delivers justice to a large and diverse national population, including many in rural areas, people with limited means, and citizens who speak different languages. Its mandate is not only to decide cases but to ensure that everyone — regardless of geography, income or circumstance — can actually reach the court.

The challenge

Access was uneven. Appearing in person meant travel, time off work and childcare — obstacles that caused missed hearings and deterred people from pursuing valid claims, especially the self-represented. Language and unfamiliarity added further barriers. The service needed to widen access dramatically without lowering the dignity, security or oversight of proceedings — and without making cost a condition of being heard.

The solution

Tech Unicorn helped the service meet citizens where they are. Unicorn Digital Courtroom brought secure remote and hybrid hearings; Unicorn Dispute Resolution allowed many eligible matters to be settled online without a hearing at all; and accessible, multilingual participation ensured the platform served everyone, not just the digitally confident.

• Secure remote and hybrid hearings, joinable from a standard web browser.
• Online dispute resolution that settles eligible matters without a courtroom.
• Multilingual, accessible participation designed for every citizen.
• Lower cost and less travel to appear — with fee-waiver users free.
• Full judicial oversight and courtroom integrity preserved throughout.

Built for trust and sovereignty

Widening access never meant lowering standards. Proceedings retained their security, dignity and judicial oversight; identity was verified and every session audit-logged. Accessibility and language support were built in by design so that inclusion reached everyone, and fee-waiver participants were never charged — ensuring that ability to pay never decided ability to be heard.

The impact

The result is justice that more citizens can actually reach. Tripling remote appearances and resolving most eligible disputes online removed the travel, cost and time barriers that had quietly excluded people for years; a 65 percent fall in no-shows means more cases are heard and resolved. Multilingual, fee-free access ensured the gains reached those who needed them most — turning access to justice from an aspiration into a measurable reality.

“A court should be the most reachable institution in public life, not the most intimidating. Access to justice cannot depend on whether you can afford to travel, take a day off work, or navigate an unfamiliar system. Technology, used well, removes those barriers quietly — so that circumstance never decides who gets their day in court.” — Ani Dave, Founder & CEO, Tech Unicorn

Why it matters

The programme demonstrates that digital justice, done responsibly, widens access rather than narrowing it. By combining remote hearings, online dispute resolution and inclusive, multilingual design, a court system can reach the citizens who need it most — without compromising dignity, security or the integrity of proceedings.

“We tripled remote access, and most eligible disputes are now resolved without anyone setting foot in a courtroom. Fewer people miss their hearings, more languages are served, and those of limited means take part free. This is what access to justice looks like in practice.” — Director-General, National Courts Service (name withheld)

Note: Figures are representative of deployment outcomes; the client is anonymized at their request.

See how Tech Unicorn and Unicorn Group can deliver these outcomes for your justice institution — start with the outcome you want to achieve.