Introduction
The Center for Legal and Court Technology (CLCT) began in 1993 as The Courtroom 21 Project at William & Mary Law School. It is a joint project of William & Mary Law School and the National Center for State Courts. In 2008, the name was changed to better reflect its mission. CLCT’s primary external mission is “To improve the world’s legal systems through the appropriate use of technology.” To accomplish this, CLCT conducts frequent legal technology demonstrations and discussions each week, hosting jurists, lawyers, law faculty, court administrators, technologists, architects and others from throughout the world. CLCT is the world center for empirical and legal research on courtroom technology and is heavily involved in judicial and lawyer education and training. CLCT also provides technology augmented courtroom design consulting services. CLCT is best known for the Law School’s McGlothlin Courtroom which is the world’s most technologically advanced trial and appellate courtroom.
CLCT currently has affiliated overseas projects in the United Kingdom and in Australia. CLCT also supports the Courtroom 21 Court Affiliates Program, a growing number of state, federal, and foreign courts that strive to use courtroom technology as successfully as possible. These courts meet together at the CLCT hosted annual Court Affiliates' Conference to address legal, administrative, and technological concerns.
Law School Activities
CLCT provides legal technology support to Law School activities and is also responsible for operation and support of the Law School’s instructional audio-video technology. It is a key part of Legal Skills and Trial Advocacy courses. First year Legal Skills students are introduced to e-filing their simulated cases using access to the federal court system. In their second year, Legal Skills students receive mandatory hands-on courtroom technology instruction, and Legal Skills and Trial Advocacy students are required to use the McGlothlin Courtroom’s technology during the trial of their practice cases. CLCT also supports specialized courses such as Electronic Discovery and Data Seizures, the Privacy in a Technological Age Seminar, Technology Augmented Trial Advocacy, and the Legal Technology Seminar.
The Law School is especially well known for its Legal Technology Seminar. Open to second-year and third-year students, the Seminar explores the effect of legal technology on lawyers, law firms, the courts, and government agencies. Supported by the entire CLCT staff and all of its technology, the Seminar also includes the world-famous Laboratory Trial, a one-day experimental case tried each April. Often conducted with assistance from the Federal Judicial Center and presided over by a visiting federal judge, the “Lab Trial” can involve a large number of experiments conducted to determine the impact of technology on participants in the trial process as well as on justice itself.
Conferences
CLCT conducts an increasing number of conferences. In addition to the annual Court Affiliates Conference, with the support of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, we conduct an annual working conference entitled "The Privacy Implications of Electronically Accessible Court Records."
CLCT also presents one or more annual "Courthouse Construction Conferences" (for judges and administrators involved in major renovations or new courthouse construction). Additionally, CLCT hosts or assists with conferences from other organizations. Past conferences include a joint National Institute of Justice/Department of Justice conference and training session on technology-augmented case presentation, the NIJ/CCIPS Digital Evidence Mock Trial, and a multi-day training program with the Administrative Office of the United States Court Defender Services Branch, for federal panel defense attorneys.
The Project also regularly welcomes groups of all types for courtroom demonstrations. For example, the Federal Administrative Law Judges Conference attended a demonstration at the Courtroom as part of its 2003 annual meeting held in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Professional Training and Consulting
CLCT provides high-technology trial practice instruction to lawyers by program and by special arrangement. CLCT is especially known for its Certification Course in Basic Technology-Enhanced Trial Practice. CLCT offers CLE courses throughout the year at the Law School and personnel are available to travel for on-site CLE programs. CLCT offers its Legal Technologist Certification in Williamsburg multiple times each year.
The Courtroom 21 Project provides design and consulting assistance to courts, government agencies, law schools, and law firms in a growing number of areas. In 2003, CLCT was appointed as Executive Agent to assist the Fairfax Circuit Court by determining the feasibility of the use of remote testimony in Commonwealth v. Malvo, one of the two “Washington sniper cases.” More recently, in 2006 CLCT entered into a contract with the Federal Courts to redesign and update the courtroom at GTMO.
Fellowships
CLCT has a small but growing number of student fellowships. CLCT Fellows receive an annual stipend and play an especially important role in CLCT, often filling key research, administrative, and technology positions.
Student Participation
Members of the William & Mary Law School student body play an important role in the daily operations of CLCT. In addition to CLCT Fellows and the Graduate Fellows assigned to CLCT, many students each year volunteer their assistance to CLCT.