Technologies are changing the way we interact with each other in profound ways. We now routinely use computers for many of our most important communications, largely because smartphones and tablets have become so convenient, portable, and easy to operate. These devices enable us to transcend time and distance in unprecedented ways. We can now communicate with anyone in the world with a few swipes of our fingers. As a result, we can stay connected without worrying about geography.

These developments are changing the practice of dispute resolution. Technology is not only changing the way we communicate, it is altering the way we disagree and the way we resolve our disputes. Almost every industry has been transformed by the expansion of information and communications technology, and the justice system is no exception. This creates tremendous opportunities for courts to become efficient, but it also presents a threat. If the justice system doesn’t adapt, we risk a growing disconnected from the citizens who use our services.

There is another dynamic at play: Cost. The flow of claims through filing, defense, and judgment was never optimized for efficiency, and as a result legal processes can be extremely expensive to maintain. Because of that growing expense governments across the globe are now working to keep disputes out of court in order to save tax dollars and improve citizen engagement.

Ecommerce disputes are usually resolved within 12 days. How many court processes run their course within 12 days? More likely, cases can take months or years. For users who are being trained to expect instant resolutions with a click of a button on a website, that kind of delay is unacceptable. Best practices from decades ago no longer meet citizen expectations. Whereas ten years ago, waiting in line at an office, or on hold for phone-based support between 9am and 5pm was expected and even satisfactory to citizens, today citizens are frustrated by and reject these options. So what is the answer?

An international consensus has emerged that Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is the best the path forward to modernize the courts and expand access to justice. ODR is the use of information and communications technology to help parties prevent and resolve their disputes. Using ODR to resolve disputes means that citizens no longer must drive to a big building downtown to find a solution, because now solutions can be accessed from any web browser, tablet or mobile phone. Parties to a dispute can file cases any time, day or night, and manage and monitor their cases all the way to closure. Documents can be submitted online, and negotiations between the parties can similarly be conducted asynchronously via text-based communication, making participation in the resolution process much more convenient and efficient.

ODR technology resolves many of the most pernicious administrative obstacles that frustrate the courts and aggravate citizens. When done correctly, ODR can standardize and humanize legal processes by empowering citizens to take control of their own resolutions. Studies have shown that dispute resolution can resolve between 50-75% of the cases coming into the courts, and online dispute resolution processes have similar resolution rates to offline dispute resolution programs.

The premiere ODR platform currently in operation is called Modria. Consumers, citizens, marketplaces, courts, and government agencies use Modria's platform every day to resolve issues around the globe. Modria’s leaders designed and launched the systems at eBay and PayPal that now resolve more than 60 million disputes per year. Modria spun out of eBay/PayPal in 2011 with a license to some of eBay's resolution technology. Since then Modria has expanded that software into the most advanced ODR system currently available.

Modria enables organizations to quickly configure and launch resolution systems that are custom tailored to meet the needs of each individual type of dispute. It is designed to help organizations resolve disputes efficiently and effectively using cutting-edge information and communications technology. Modria’s tools can dramatically lower costs, provide fast and fair resolutions, and minimize frustration and risk.

Modria is the only ODR provider that has operated at the scale of the internet. The ODR systems designed by Modria's leaders have resolved hundreds of millions of disputes around the world, with more than 50% resolved by mutual agreement. Modria's customers include consumer protection bureaus, large government agencies, premiere ADR service providers, national legal service bureaus, and prominent eCommerce merchants, marketplaces, and payments providers.

The most sophisticated and successful court case management system in the world is provided by Tyler Technologies. Tyler is the largest software company in the world focused exclusively on local government. Tyler delivers all of the essential software solutions that drive the public sector, empowering more than 15,000 local government offices with comprehensive software solutions across all 50 states in the US as well as in Canada, the Caribbean, Australia and other locations worldwide. Tyler’s Courts and Justice division provides cohesive, connected software for courts and other justice agencies, enabling them to simplify processes, improve workflow, and ensure efficient and consistent operations. Tyler’s court case management solution, Odyssey, is being used successfully in more than 900 counties across 24 states in the U.S., covering more than 100 million people, and is now being implemented in Australia as well.

Now Modria is merging into Tyler. The collaboration between the two companies will create a single platform capable of supporting citizens all the way through their justice journey. Modria’s cutting edge ODR system will integrate seamlessly into Tyler’s advanced guidance, e-filing, and court case management tools to provide a comprehensive system that expands access to justice and meets the expectations of citizens in the modern era.

The integration of technology into the justice system represents the biggest opportunity, as well as the biggest challenge, the courts have encountered in a generation. Our society is being transformed by information and communications technologies, and the pace of this change is continuing to accelerate. Working together, Modria and Tyler will lead the way in improving access, providing speedier and better outcomes, maintaining relevance in the lives of our customers, and living up to the promise of our justice system.