Sustaining Access to Justice

This book explores the complex landscape of costs and funding of civil justice. Access to civil justice continues to be undermined by State retrenchment of legal aid budgets, increases in procedural costs, the complexity of court procedures, and severe delays in the dispensation of justice. This has resulted in a shift from public to private funding of civil litigation, and the emergence of new business models and forms of private justice. The book explores the dynamic landscape of legal costs and financing from 3 perspectives: regulatory frameworks in public and private funding; new trends and challenges in contemporary legal financing; and the transformative potential of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and online dispute resolution (ODR) procedures to streamline civil justice processes and expand access to justice. By addressing the intersectionality of legal, economic, political, market and social dynamics, the book helps readers gain a better understanding of the inherent complexity of costs, funding, and their implications for access to justice. This timely resource offers academics, policymakers, and practitioners valuable insights into the dynamics that shape the current state and future prospects of civil justice in Europe to help create sustainable pathways for improved access to justice.