Second prize winner in the category Digital in EPSA 2021:
JustizOnline is the digital public service platform of the independent Austrian courts and public prosecution offices, which provides digital access to judicial proceedings. Its goal is to enhance trust in the judiciary, eliminate existing barriers and ensure easy access to justice for the public. Each citizen will be able to interact with the judiciary in a simple, digital way and submit personal judicial matters quickly and unbureaucratically. The services offered include selected online court procedures, 24 hours a day and without local restrictions, from any desktop or smartphone. The project extends the independent courts and public prosecution office services to include cutting-edge, charge-free and transparent digital services. The highest security and accessibility standards are guaranteed.
The project JustizOnline originated in 2018 following a ministerial proposal to digitise the judiciary of the Minister of Justice Dr Moser. The project had several objectives in mind:
- the creation of a digital access channel to judicial proceedings on a citizen platform;
- the location and time-independent inspection of files and information on the state of the proceedings;
- the availability of an overview of defined trial dates with immediate active information in case of any delays, cancellations or other issues;
- a modern and mobile useable publication platform with the possibility to register creditors in bankruptcy proceedings.
A broad range of citizens were involved on site at the court to test the developed prototypes. Within the implementation project, several internal user-friendly reviews were conducted on a use-case-oriented workshop basis with judges and secretaries.
A homogenous and modern appearance of the judiciary is ensured by integrating previously isolated services. This is an essential factor in the public perception of the judiciary as a modern, easily accessible, citizen-oriented and professional public institution. With the creation of this platform, the Austrian judiciary provides state-of-the-art and citizen-friendly access to the judicial services, and become more transparent and comprehensible to citizens and businesses. In this way, it is increasing confidence in the judiciary as the third pillar of the rule of law and contributing to build a better Europe, enhancing legal certainty and peace.