The digitization of the justice system in Lower Saxony is being driven forward enormously by the pandemic. More and more courts are now negotiating civil cases on video channels.
In the first half of this year alone, 128 meeting rooms in the country will be equipped to make them suitable for digitally conducted negotiations. The costs for this are 3.6 million euros, as announced by the Ministry of Justice in Hanover. In total, there are almost 600 meeting rooms in the country that are to be modernized in the coming years.
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Courts are currently being equipped accordingly. Also: Meyer-Werft extends the break in operations. (03/24/2021) 2 min
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OLG Celle with 75 percent video negotiations at the top
The front runner in video negotiations in January and February was the Higher Regional Court of Celle: 75 percent of all appointments were digital, at the OLG Oldenburg it was 58 percent and at the OLG Braunschweig 34 percent. During the same period, the Aurich regional court negotiated 49 percent of its cases without all those involved in the process being in one room. According to the ministry, it was 44 percent at the Stade regional court, 41 percent in Osnabrück and 28 percent in Oldenburg. This was followed by the Hildesheim regional courts with 26 percent, Hanover with 21 percent and Göttingen with 18 percent. Many smaller local courts are to be added by the end of June.
Eight million euros planned for digital workplaces
According to the ministry, another 8.2 million euros are to be invested by the end of 2024 in order to also upgrade jobs in the judicial authorities in the country. In addition, around 15 million euros are planned for the network expansion in the courts and public prosecutor’s offices. “All processes are being put to the test and modified,” said Justice Minister Barbara Havliza (CDU). It is not just about purchasing hardware and developing software. Employees should also be able to work on the move and use “intelligent” programs.
Havliza: “Benefits will be retained beyond the pandemic”
“Digital negotiations have been legally possible for many years. But the pandemic has given this opportunity a real boost,” said Havliza recently at an on-site visit in Oldenburg. At the moment, video negotiations were mainly used to protect against infection. “But I am sure that the benefits will continue beyond the pandemic.”
Criminal trials are still only possible in the courtroom
Negotiations with video cannot be transferred to criminal trials, said a ministry spokesman. According to German legal understanding, no accused may be convicted “from a distance”. In 2020, Lower Saxony had suggested in the Federal Council that at least hearings of prisoners be carried out digitally. The other countries did not support this change in the code of criminal procedure
