Recognizing the limitations of its existing document and case management systems and protocols, the UK Supreme Court engaged Capgemini to perform a comprehensive digital transformation. This accelerated the speed at which cases could be submitted and improved the overall user experience, making the court a leading example of digital justice reform.

The overhaul of an outdated system

The UK Supreme Court (UKSC) is the UK’s highest court. As such, it has a significant international profile and deals with cases of profound public consequence. In recent years, this has included cases related to the prorogation of Parliament during Brexit, Scottish independence, and the Rwanda asylum scheme. The Court also acts as a separate body – the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) – which is the final court of appeal for UK Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies, and certain Commonwealth countries.

Founded in 2009, many of the Court’s processes and tools were unchanged from when its functions sat in the House of Lords, as they had for centuries. These methods made limited use of technology and replicated old paper-based workflows. Record-keeping was sometimes fragmented, data quality was not optimal, and the public-facing website was difficult to navigate.

This resulted in administrative duplication and inefficiency, long timelines for processing certain case applications, limited transparency around administrative processes, and difficulty for those engaging with the Court to find relevant information. These limitations had built barriers to justice, particularly for self-represented or geographically distant parties.

The UKSC therefore required a full-scale digital transformation to establish it as a modern, world-leading court that is user-centric, transparent, efficient, and accessible to all. To do so, it needed a partner to help implement new technology systems and support significant organizational and cultural change.

Transforming systems and mindsets

The first major milestone was securing HM Treasury and Cabinet Office approval. The Court and Capgemini worked together to refine an initial wish list of 46 digital solutions into a focused, achievable roadmap, demonstrating the program’s full estimated benefits, costs, and risk levels. Once the business case was approved, they worked together throughout the two-year, end-to-end transformation.

Program management, governance, and change functions within the Court were rapidly set up and key Court team members were upskilled using dry-run sprints for staff to experience new ways of working in a risk-free environment. Regular “show and tell” and “lessons learned” sessions were organized, and the pace of delivery was adjusted as necessary for staff to adapt.

Central to the program were two new public-facing websites: an external portal to enable online case filing, case tracking, payments, and document submission, and a modern case-management system that drastically reduced processing times and administrative burden. Extensive user research ensured the system was inclusive and accessible.

In addition, the Court and Capgemini maintained a strong focus on relationship-building and ensuring staff were actively involved in defining the changes. Workshops and coaching helped demonstrate how digital tools would enhance ways of working, and upskilling sessions covered both hard and soft skills.

Modernization of one of the world’s most respected judicial institutions

Combining technical transformation with cultural change and accessibility improvements, the project delivered a sustainable, user-centered solution. The public-facing websites are easy to navigate, meet relevant accessibility standards and can manage the high traffic of major cases.

Meanwhile, the case-management portal is a one-stop shop for those bringing a case to the Court. Previously, seeking permission to appeal a case would involve emailing a request with an attached Word document. Staff manually entered this into the system and the application was processed offline, with applicants calling or emailing for updates. Now the applicant can upload all relevant information securely via the portal. The system assigns tasks to team members and automatically provides progress updates. Submissions that took half a day now take under 30 minutes and produce a single, easily consultable source for case details.

Reducing the administrative burden means staff can focus on higher-value tasks, such as user engagement and processing a greater volume of cases. Increased accessibility has further enabled a broader range of users to engage more easily.

Quantifiable results highlight the project’s impact. The system has reduced average case-processing times for Permissions to Appeal from six months to eight weeks, and 100% of staff consider the program a success.

To ensure continuous improvement and long-term adaptability, the UKSC has set up an Operations Committee, with members upskilled to make changes and fixes to the solution to keep systems up-to-date and responsive to user needs, as well as maintaining the momentum of the Court’s new continuous improvement culture.

The project has positioned the UKSC as a leader in digital justice reform, with several international legal bodies studying the Court’s approach as a model for modernization.