A new digital court service has gone live, allowing civil disputes with a value of £5,000 or less to be resolved online.

Parties can submit cases, lodge supporting documents and pay court fees with the launch of Civil Online.

Two solicitors firms – Edinburgh’s Gilson Gray and TCH Law in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire – were the first to use the live system by registering Simple Procedure cases on Thursday.

Eric McQueen, chief executive of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS), said: “Through Civil Online we are now enabling secure applications and case management for the first time as a fully digital service.

“Cases will still be judicially managed and come before the judiciary for a hearing or determination as required by court rules.

“Evidence can be electronically presented in court from applications and documents submitted online.

“It is possible to track all the actions relating to a case through the online portal.”

Mr McQueen said the SCTS would continue to support those who cannot use the online service.

Tracey Campbell-Hynd, principal and managing solicitor at TCH Law, said: “As a self-confessed fan of technology, I was truly delighted to be part of this historic event in submitting one of the first cases through the Civil Online portal.

“I found the process extremely easy, and submission of a claim took a matter of mere minutes.

“I cannot wait for TCH Law to be using the system to its full potential.”