The Ministry of Justice, Marco Buschmann, aims to introduce a “Reallabor” (real-world laboratory) for the digital civil process in the justice system. This initiative aims to modernize and digitize civil court proceedings, enhancing efficiency and accessibility. The project is expected to serve as a testing ground for new digital tools and methods, potentially transforming traditional legal processes and opening up new possibilities for the future of justice.

“Today, we are taking another step towards digitalizing the justice system. With the test law for developing an online procedure, we are laying the foundation for new digital forms of communication in civil proceedings. This will make the justice system more efficient and modern. Citizens can contact the courts with just a few clicks. The online procedure also improves access to the justice system. We already do many things in our everyday lives online, and as a matter of course, the justice system should be no exception. The test will initially be carried out in individual courts. However, I am confident that we will develop the procedure further in the next few years so that it becomes the standard in civil proceedings. That would be an essential piece of the puzzle for the modernization of the justice system.”.

This procedure was initially intended only for small claims of up to 5,000 euros, but this will soon increase to 8,000 euros.

The testing phase is scheduled for ten years, as the federal states still have to contend with numerous other digitalization projects. However, some courts are expected to test fully digital civil proceedings as early as next year.

The processes relating to the rights of air passengers are referred to in terms of digital support and are an example of mass claims processes. The introduction of systems and technical standards is intended to support the judiciary in structuring documents and processes to save resources.

https://www.zugang-zum-recht-projekte.de/onlineverfahren