European legal standards of digitalization of the judiciary

Abstract

The article reveals the content of the concept of European legal standards in the area of digitalization of the judiciary adopted as mandatory or as recommendatory typical legal principles and norms fixed (contained) in common sources of law (acquis communautaire) of the European legal system. They are the minimum legal requirements for the organization and implementation of e-justice for the EU member states. The application of these standards takes place in the course of their implementation by national laws of both the EU member states and states that are guided by the legal values of the EU and/or seek to acquire EU membership, like Ukraine. The normative basis, goals and principles of e-justice in the EU are thoroughly analysed. The key positions on the digitalization of the judiciary, which are set out in the EU legal documents containing the relevant legal standards, are defined. Attention is drawn to the fact that the main elements of e-justice, implemented in Ukraine under the influence of European standards, can be considered the following: (i) conducting electronic office work, centralized storage of cases and other procedural documents in a single database; (ii) exchange of documents and information; (iii) electronic method of determining a judge (judge-rapporteur) to consider a particular case; (iv) using information and communication technologies to investigate electronic evidence; (v) trial participation in the hearing via videoconference; (vi) adoption and publication of judicial acts in electronic form.