Preface
Tecomputerizationoflegalturnover,legaldrafingandtheapplicationof
lawisgraduallymakingthemdependentoninformationtechnology.Tis
justifiestheimportanceofanumberofconsiderationsconcerningthetech-
nologicaldimensionoflegalpractice.Giventhepotentialbenefitsandrisks
associatedwiththeprogressivedigitalizationandcomputerizationoflegis-
lationandthegrowingimportanceoftheInternet,theissueoftheroleand
usesofinformationsystemsinthelegaldomainrequirescareful,multi-di-
mensionalanalysis.
Teimpactofinformationtechnologyonlawisstillanopenquestion.
However,thereisnodoubtthatthesetechnologiesarechangingthewayin
whichlawiscreated,communicated,appliedandinterpreted,sincetheypro-
videnewwaysofsharing,searching,communicatingandanalyzinglegalin-
formation.Communicationimposesonhumanpracticesand,inparticular
onlegalpractices,manyspecificrequirementsandrestrictions.Terefore,
theimplementationofnewtechnologiesintocommunicationprocessescan
notonlyhelptoovercomesometraditionalproblems,suchasallowing,for
instance,theimprovementofexistingpractices,butitmayalsocausenew
problemsormakeoldonesevengraver.Forexample,thedevelopmentof
informationtechnologiesmayresultinthecreationofnewgoodsandservi-
ces,ormaychangethescopeorthefieldofapplicationoftraditionalones.It
makesnewrisksappear,requiringthereinterpretationofexistingrulesorthe
introductionofnewregulations.However,theneedforthereinterpretation
ofexistinglawinfringesuponitscertaintyandtheintroductionofnewregu-
lationsiscostlyandcomplicated.Moreover,inaccurateregulationmayhave
farreachingconsequencesbothforlegalsystemsandexistingorfuturesocial
practices.Tus,onecanarguethatlaw,informationtechnologiesandsocial
practicesareincreasinglymutuallydependent.Terefore,understandingthe
causes,trendsandsignificanceofthechangesresultingfromtheimplemen-
tationofinformationtechnologyinprocessesrelatedtothecreationandap-
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