Trends in today's justice in America
The "judicialization" of American society and the ever-increasing proportion of the GNP of the United States taken each year by the million-plus lawyers south of our border resulted, over a decade ago, in an in-depth examination of the American system of law.
Two such initiatives are known, the first being the creation of the Preventive Law Center of the University of Colorado. A team of professors and lawyers is considering the division of the legal profession and the introduction of a properly educated and trained non-litigious lawyer.
A second initiative was less ambitious : the creation of the CyberNotary which concept was then in 1993, developped by the Information Security Committee of the American Bar Association, searching for means to certify and secure electronic commerce.
In short, the ABA committee ought to create another type of lawyer, distinct from present-day lawyers, with characteristics much like the Latin notary. Their main duty would have been to ensure the security of business communications on electronic highways. The concept has not materialized as yet, but has generated a very interesting side effect : the adoption by two states, Florida and Alabama, of laws creating a new legal profession, a new quasi-public office, the Civil law notary, modeled on the Latin type notary. At least, five or six other states are seriously considering the adoption of the concept. Those Civil Law notaries are lawyer of experience having succeeded the required training and examination.