Erfurt (dpa / th) – Thuringia wants to further expand the possibility of video hearings in court proceedings in the coming years. Justice Minister Dirk Adams (Greens) told the German Press Agency that prisoners would not have to be transported from the prisons to the courts, which was a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. “This is a relief for everyone involved in the proceedings.” In addition, the Thuringian data exchange platform used for video negotiations and hearings guarantees a high level of data protection.
According to the ministry, video conference systems are currently available in all Thuringian justice centers as well as at the Thuringian finance court in Gotha and at the regional court in Erfurt. However, the Ministry of Justice does not have any figures on how often these are used.
Basically, however, it should be noted that with the increasing number of those involved in the process and the complex gathering of evidence, video negotiations are not the appropriate means, it said. In any case, criminal proceedings can only be negotiated online during detention examinations or when interviewing endangered witnesses.
According to the Thuringian Bar Association, video negotiations are currently still the exception in the Free State. Although the code of civil procedure already offered this option before the corona pandemic, these are still absolutely isolated cases, said Chamber President Jan Helge Kestel. Online negotiations, for example in legal discussions, make perfect sense. This could also prevent a large number of requests to reschedule appointments. This would allow clients to get their rights faster, said Kestel.
“You have to proceed with a sense of proportion,” said the lawyer. “Not every process is suitable for this.” Kestel considers the use of video technology to be problematic when interrogating witnesses. When questioning witnesses, it depends on the personal impression. The chairman of the Thuringian Judges’ Association, Holger Pröbstel, made a similar statement.
“Something atmospheric is always lost in video conferences, because the feeling of personal contact is missing,” said the judge at the Erfurt regional court. Communication is different. The decision whether to negotiate civil cases via video is incumbent on each judge himself.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 220109-99-642109 / 2
– .
