Canadians are disadvantaged in the legal system, left to navigate a maze of complex documents and lengthy waits.
Courtready, a legal tech company that helps Canadians navigate the legal system with practical tools and educational courses, is on a mission to make the legal system easier to navigate.
The company recently launched Courtready’s Court Dates Finder, which automatically notifies them when selected dates become available. Think OpenTable, but for booking court hearings instead of dinner reservations: everyday Canadians trying to grab a last-minute opening when a slot becomes available. This is just one of a suite of free tools the company has created to empower Canadians.
We spoke with Courtready’s Co-Founder, Tom Macintosh Zheng, about the details behind the launch, issues Canadians face, why he decided to provide a solution, and how he is making the legal system as easy to understand as the click of a button.
You just launched Courtready’s suite of tools. As a former lawyer and litigator, what inspired you to create Courtready?
TMZ: Access to justice is a serious issue in Canada. Procedures are complex, and cases can take far too long. With Courtready, we’re trying to make the system easier to navigate and help people move their cases forward more efficiently. Rather than waiting for broader reforms, we focused on building practical tools people can use right now.
What are the biggest challenges Canadians face with the legal system?
TMZ: Complexity and congestion. For many Canadians, the justice system feels like a maze: Which form do I file? What’s the deadline? What happens after I file? And even when you do everything right, congestion means you can wait a very long time for an outcome.
Why is it important for Canadians to understand what’s happening in the legal system?
TMZ: Justice delayed is justice denied. Our system only works if it is both fair and efficient. There’s clearly work to do on both. If people stop pursuing legitimate claims because the process is too complex or takes too long, confidence in the system erodes.
Tell us about Courtready’s technology. How do your tools work?
TMZ: Courtready’s proprietary technology is very easy to use for everyday Canadians who want easy, quick answers about what their rights are. Our tools largely fall into three categories: The first is rule-based calculators that apply legal rules to generate clear outputs (like deadlines and interest). The second is guided decision tools that walk users through legal tests (like flight delay compensation eligibility or how to enforce Small Claims Court judgments). The third is monitoring dashboards that track availability and send notifications when things change, like our Court Dates Finder.
Now let’s talk about the Court Dates Finder. How exactly does this work?
TMZ: Say you’re trying to book a hearing in March 2026, but when you check the court’s online booking portal, there are no available dates. So, you enter the hearing type, pick the month you’re watching (March 2026), and sign up with your email. If any openings appear, whether because the court releases new dates or someone cancels, Courtready will email you right away, so you can jump back into the portal and book the slot immediately.
How can the Court Dates Finder make the legal system better, not just for Canadians but from an industry perspective as well?
TMZ: Court time is limited, and every hearing slot is a scarce public resource. When an opening appears (because someone cancels or new dates are released), it can easily go unnoticed and even end up being unused. Our Court Dates Finder helps solve that problem by flagging those openings quickly so they get booked instead of being wasted. That means the system can make better use of the time it already has, which helps move more cases through the courts and chip away at backlogs.
What’s the one piece of advice you have for Canadians struggling and overwhelmed with the system?
TMZ: Seek advice from someone with relevant expertise or real experience in your specific issue. Even a 15-minute check-in with a local legal clinic can help you avoid common procedural mistakes.