1. E-Justice in Bulgaria Bogdan Petrov, Esq. CLICT Co-Founder & Expert
Legal Informatics & E-Governance as tools for the Knowledge Society LEFIS Seminar, Reykjavik, July 12-13, 2007
E-Justice in Bulgaria
Bogdan Petrov, Esq.
CLICT Co-Founder & Expert

2. Definition E-Justice –
any service providing information in electronic format related to a process in the Judiciary;
electronic exchange of judiciary information via telecommunications networks.

3. Examples
Internet-based services providing information to the public or supporting data exchange between citizens and judiciary organizations);
Internet-based services for information exchange between organizations;
Intranet-based services supporting procedures within an organization (e.g. workflow systems);
Services supporting “legal communications” (e.g. secure
services implementing digital signatures);
Services for digital audio and video communications (e.g. systems recording or/and broadcasting court hearings, remote surveillance and remote interrogation systems).

4. The Strategy
Legal framework (i.e. rules forming legal basis for each service provided);
Technical arrangements (architecture, infrastructure, applied technologies, etc.);
Operation plans (manpower, training, maintenance, procedures, etc.).

5. Principles
Transparency: enhancing visibility in justice and public administration, strengthening trust between the Judiciary and the public;
Accessibility: allowing people to access fast and reliably the information they need;
Usability: providing tools that are useful and easy-to-use;
Quality of service: fighting bureaucracy and long queues;
Usefulness: addressing real everyday needs of the public and businesses;
Completeness: all the services provided from one place (one-stop shop).

6. Legal Grounds Aqui communitaire as of 2002;
E-Signatures and E-Documents Act;
E-Commerce Act;
E-Communications Act;
Implementing rules and regulations.

7. What Already Exists Court Case Management System (CCMS);
Conviction Status Certificate System (CSCS);
Bankruptcy Proceedings System (BPS);
Unified Register System (URS);
Legal Aid System;
Enforcement of Judgments System;
Mediators Register;
Unified Information System to Counter Crime (UISCC);
Bulgarian Citizenship Register;
Commercial Register;
BULSTAT Register;
Property Register;
Particular Pledge Register;
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Register;
Political Parties Register;
Judicial Statistics System.

8. Problems
Legal: lack of special material law, no procedural value of electronic documents;
Technical: interoperability of systems created by different operators for different purposes;
Operational: poor financing, bureaucracy, computer illiteracy.

9. The Future The front end: The E-Justice Web Portal;
Automated case management;
Secure video communications/interrogations;
E-documents universal acceptance;
B2B applications for legal professionals (prosecutors, notaries, bailiffs, etc.);
Ideally – a paperless national justice system!

10. Thank you!
Any questions?