Cutting paper, cutting costs: New P.E.I. court rules will save clients money

The Court of Appealon P.E.I. is requiring lawyers, judges and everyone involved in appeal cases to use more electronic files.

The move will be not only good for the environment but save clients money, as they are usually billed for copy costs. In some cases that can amount to thousands of dollars.

Chief Justice David Jenkins expects the system to save time as well.

"It's going to be a lot less paper to carry around for us for sure. It's going to be a lot more efficient for everybody using the system," Jenkins said.

"It's one step, but a significant step, in enabling litigants to be able to get into the court of appeal without having that big outlay for the cost of paper."

The change was effective Sept. 1.

Jenkins said they hope to substantially reduce the paper involved in all appeals.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Sunken ship discovered in Northumberland Strait
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |'Extremely shorthanded:' P.E.I. lacks psychiatrists for ER care