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FREDERICTON (CNB) - All 14 courtrooms in the province have now installed video conferencing equipment.

"Technology has the ability to increase accessibility to justice and lower the cost of litigation," said Justice and Consumer Affairs Minister, T.J. Burke.

"Video conferencing capabilities in our courtrooms have a host of benefits, and I am pleased that all 14 provincial court sites will now have access to this technology."

Video conferencing benefits include:

• Increased security for the public by having jail and penitentiary inmates make court appearances via video conferencing.

• Less travel time and expense for witnesses who may now testify from different locations throughout the province, or even across the country.

• Reduced court and sheriffs' costs.

• Significant travel-time savings for the RCMP forensic unit.

• Less cost for litigants and lawyers in cases where travel is required.

All the video conferencing facilities came online on July 1.

The installation is a continuation of the e-Justice initiative which has seen the installation of video conferencing facilities at the Court of Appeal, and closed-circuit television in the 14 provincial courtrooms, to protect vulnerable witnesses.

Further expansion will include installing video conferencing in provincial correctional facilities and the remaining federal penitentiaries.