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COURT DEVELOPMENT PLAN

2024–2030

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ESTONIAN COURT 2030 ___________________________________________________ 3

ORGANISATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, MANAGEMENT AND

ADMINISTRATION OF THE COURT ___________________________________________ 5

EFFECTIVE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS ________________________________________ 7

HUMAN RESOURCES POLICY ______________________________________________ 9

DIGITISATION OF THE COURT _____________________________________________ 11

COMMUNICATION _______________________________________________________ 14

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ESTONIAN COURT 2030

Mission

The court works to defend people and ensure stability and the rule of law.

Values

Expertise: professionalism, keeping up with the times, constantly developing professional

knowledge and skills, valuing commitment and working efficiently and smartly.

Reliability: valuing people and teams, treating people with respect, communicating with the

public in a fair and clear manner.

Independence: impartiality and respect for law and conscience.

Vision and main development targets for 2030

A human-centred and technologically advanced court that delivers fair, efficient and

transparent justice.

Delivering on this vision is based on:

1) A human-centred approach. Behind every case is a person and their concern; the court responds to the expectations and needs of all members of society.

2) Quick and quality administration of justice. Justice is administered in a reasonable time; there is a balance between the quality and speed of the administration of justice.

3) Foreseeable and consistent judicial proceedings. Judicial proceedings that consistently apply best practices ensure consistency of case law and reduce legal uncertainty.

4) Digital solutions. Fast and efficient proceedings are supported by user-friendly digital solutions.

5) Capacity as an employer. The court is an attractive and supportive employer, offering its employees the conditions they need for professional development and satisfaction.

6) Openness of the organisation. The court is open to change and innovation and acts in a socially responsible manner.

7) Unity and coherence of the judiciary. The judiciary is a whole; the relationships between its parts are cooperative and follow a shared vision.

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Main activities

Organisation of the administration of justice, management and administration of the

court. The goal is to create a judicial organisation that is responsibly managed and ensures

the effective and quality administration of justice. This includes bringing the administration of

courts into the area of responsibility of the judiciary itself, ensuring court administration services

of a uniformly high quality as well as specialisation and an equal workload. Systematic

monitoring of the quality of the administration of justice and support for the development

opportunities of judges and staff are also provided.

Effective judicial proceedings. The goal is to provide society with a fast, accessible and

professional judicial service that focuses on the administration of justice and offers society

legal stability and security. In order to achieve this, it is planned to simplify and streamline court

procedures, encourage the use of conciliation and arbitration and make procedural law more

understandable. In addition, the focus will be on speeding up the proceedings and reducing

litigation by removing from the jurisdiction of the courts cases that can be resolved elsewhere

and reducing the unnecessary extra tasks of courts.

Human resources policy. The goal is to create a cohesive, competent and well-functioning

team that can adapt to change and ensure quality and effective administration of justice.

Achieving a strong organisational culture and sense of belonging is based on ethical

leadership, which is in turn based on values. This will be achieved by ensuring a coherent HR

policy that supports the professional development of staff and promotes a feedback culture

and lifelong learning. The court will be transformed into an attractive employer, where the

recruitment of young people and the development of judges are systematically supported and

employees are offered a modern and safe working environment.

Digitisation. The goal is to achieve fully digital and more efficient judicial proceedings using

artificial intelligence and automation. Artificial intelligence helps optimise work processes,

improve the quality of documents and simplify court proceedings for the parties. Actions include

the introduction of new information systems, automation of processes and training of staff in

digital skills.

Communication. The goal is to be open and trustworthy, improving the reputation of the court

and contributing to the growth of legal awareness. Actions include an active media presence,

including social media, raising the awareness of journalists and young people, and clear and

open internal communication. The protection of personal data and access to court proceedings

will also be ensured to increase public understanding and trust in the court.

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ORGANISATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, MANAGEMENT AND

ADMINISTRATION OF THE COURT

Goal

The court and its three instances and three branches are a responsibly managed

comprehensive modern organisation that performs its tasks efficiently and to a high standard.

Sub-goals:

1) The judiciary itself is responsible for the management and administration of the courts.

2) A court administration service of consistently high quality is guaranteed for all courts.

3) The court network is optimal for ensuring an equal workload and, in particular,

procedural efficiency and high quality through specialisation in the administration of

justice.

4) The court is reasonably accessible to everyone. In each of the main centres, which is

usually the county centre, there is a courthouse or a room where a hearing can be held

and where anyone can lodge documents and obtain the information and support they

need to address the court.

5) In the process of drawing up the state budget, the courts of first and second instance

as a whole are seen as a constitutional institution.

6) The salary fund of the courts is budgeted using an indexation mechanism based on a

fixed formula; the salary fund for vacant posts of judges can also be used for other

salary costs of the courts in the same or the following financial year.

7) Judges are paid the salary stipulated by law, which is sufficient to guarantee the

independence of judges and related to the salary of a member of the Riigikogu and the

Government of the Republic; judges are paid additional remuneration for the

performance of additional duties.

8) In the interests of a uniform high standard of administration of justice and ensuring the

best professional development opportunities for judges, attention is systematically

given to the quality of the work of judges.

Measures

• We will develop the courts into an organisation that ensures a consistently equal

workload of high quality and promotes specialisation. We will consider various options

to ensure the consistent and uniform quality of the administration of justice across

Estonia, including the nationwide distribution of cases, the strengthening of specialised

networks of experts, the merging of judicial bodies, the creation of a reserve of judges

(temporary judges), etc.

• We will create a Judicial Administration Council and a subordinate Judicial

Administration Service to manage the judicial bodies; once the new model of judicial

administration is up and running effectively, we will transfer the tasks related to

servicing the self-governing bodies of judges and their work to the Judicial

Administration Service.

• We will design a court management model where the establishment of a work division

plan, the formation of court departments and the division of judges into departments

will be decided by the presidency leading the court institution, whose members include,

among others, the judge(s) elected by the general assembly of the court.

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• We will strengthen the role of the general assembly of the court in setting the court’s

development directions and taking positions and giving opinions on general issues.

• We foresee the division of the courts of first instance into departments of an appropriate

size for efficient functioning, taking into account the need for specialisation, the work of

which will be organised by a judge, who is subordinate to the president of the court in

the performance of the management duties.

• We envisage the establishment of a work division plan for judges in such a manner that

ensures targeted and efficient specialisation and an equal workload, in particular for

certain types of cases, which will be distributed to all judges to equalise the workload.

We will develop a policy of regular but smooth redeployment of specialisations to

ensure full development opportunities for judges and judicial staff.

• We base our budgeting for courts on the actual workload and capacity of the previous

period and the foreseeable changes for the financial year, with the judicial system being

responsible for its own budgeting and management within the limits of the national

budget.

• We will set up a system to assess the quality of the work of judges.

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EFFECTIVE JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS

Goal

The administration of justice is professional, accessible and swift to ensure legal stability and

certainty for society. The court focuses on its main task: the administration of justice. Each

type of case has its own procedural rules according to its nature and its importance for society,

including the appeal procedure.

Sub-goals:

1) High-quality judicial proceedings.

2) A smaller number of court disputes, including avoidance of ill-considered

(unnecessary) recourse to the courts, the repetition of disputes of the same nature and

unjustified additional tasks of the courts.

3) Swift, predictable, cost-effective court proceedings that respect the interests of the

parties.

4) Conciliation proceedings before court proceedings and arbitration proceedings are

encouraged.

5) Procedural law is more understandable.

6) People guaranteed better support in litigation.

Measures

• We will remove from the jurisdiction of the courts cases that are better dealt with out of

court, e.g. in administrative proceedings.

• In order to speed up court proceedings: we will provide simplified proceedings in cases

where going through the full proceedings is not practical; we will make proceedings

more predictable by providing for the preparation of a case plan where necessary,

including the coordination of the expected course of proceedings with the parties to the

proceedings as far as possible.

• We will communicate proactively with parties, explain the procedure in a human way

and shape their expectations.

• We will write procedural orders, letters and court decisions in an understandable way.

• We will harmonise the types of court proceedings, eliminating unjustified differences,

e.g. in appeal procedures and time limits.

• We will improve the quality of compliance with the duty to explain.

• In administrative cases, we will shorten the proceedings in public procurement cases

by one dispute resolution step; create a set of rules for correcting errors in

administrative acts and a fast-track procedure for the annulment of clearly erroneous

administrative acts; speed up the resolution of renewable energy disputes; and

facilitate the resolution of pilot cases, including on the basis of the Chancellor of

Justice’s right of protest.

• In criminal proceedings, we will reduce bureaucratic obstacles that prolong the time

taken to hear cases; speed up decisions on pre-trial authorisations; change the rules

on the allocation of cases so as to streamline the workload of judges; and limit the need

for judges to withdraw from the substantive hearing of cases.

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• In civil proceedings, we will support the efficient organisation of the work of the courts

through the continuous development of the Code, with particular emphasis on

specialisation, standardised resolution of simpler cases and the facilitation of

teamwork; and remove unjustified obstacles to the reasonable organisation of work.

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HUMAN RESOURCES POLICY

Goal

Developing a cohesive, capable, well-functioning and adaptable team to ensure quality and

efficient administration of justice. An effective HR policy creates a strong organisational culture

and a sense of belonging. This requires ethical leadership that is based on values, and the

development and cooperation of the people working in the courts.

Sub-goals:

1) Our people carry the court’s values – they are competent and committed, value lifelong

learning and development, and work together beyond the call of duty.

2) Our people are well managed – the judicial system is managed in a progressive, smart

and inspiring way at every level.

3) Our people are part of a modern organisation that is a good and safe workplace – we

have smart work processes and efficient and flexible working arrangements that

support people doing high-quality work.

Measures

• We will agree on a common human resources policy and take it into account in our

budgeting.

• We will create a supportive environment around the people working in the courts to

unlock their potential as professionals and increase job satisfaction.

• We will adopt a culture of constructive feedback, in which regular collaborative

discussions will play an important role.

• We will adopt a progressive mindset, valuing lifelong learning, sharing know-how and

learning new skills.

• We will consciously develop the image of the judicial system as a competitive employer.

• We will systematically recruit young people as successors to the judicial system,

including through paid traineeships or scholarships.

• We will clearly and meaningfully explain the path to becoming a judge, from the

curriculum of law and the judge selection process to the mentoring and evaluation of

beginner judges in their first three years.

• In the selection and development of judges, we will follow a model of the prerequisites

and competences needed to be a judge.

• We will support recruiters and development supporters to achieve excellence.

• We will support the development of high-potential advocates to become judges with a

well-functioning succession scheme, including the possibility of training in other judicial

institutions.

• We will design a consistently excellent, cohesive and flexible induction programme for

new judges, taking into account their individual needs and preferred learning path.

• We will ensure high-quality training opportunities. We will organise more interactive

training, including round tables and colleague-to-colleague training.

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• In order to motivate judges and promote their professional development, we encourage

internships in higher courts, other public authorities, public universities or international

institutions.

• Judges receive appropriate feedback to their work, their development is supported and,

where necessary, an individual programme of training and other development activities

is drawn up for the judge.

• We will make a legislative proposal to increase the social guarantees of judges and

clarify the restrictions on their activities.

• Managing people is the responsibility of every manager. Changes that concern human

resources and the organisation of work are professionally managed, targeted and

clearly communicated.

• We value the management of structural units, chairing working groups, round tables,

etc.

• We clearly define the functions and expectations of managers. In the selection and

development of managers, we will follow a model of the prerequisites and competences

needed to be a manager and support their development according to their personal

needs.

• The judicial system is aware of its responsibility to ensure the quality of the

administration of justice. The principles of supervision and disciplinary proceedings are

clear and targeted.

• The working environment is environmentally friendly and the tools are modern and

appropriate to the nature of the work.

• When developing the organisation of work, we will make maximum use of the benefits

of specialisation and teamwork.

• We will describe the tasks, service standards and competences of the main positions

in order to raise and harmonise the quality of services, design the efficient organisation

of work, an equal workload and remuneration that value the position as well as a

motivating career development system. We will distinguish between the position and

remuneration of a consultant, advocate general and senior advocate general.

• We will proceed from practicality and staff motivation when organising the work of the

procedural groups.

• We will ensure flexible working conditions, including remote work to the extent that it

does not hamper teamwork or the cohesion of the judicial system.

• We will support the readiness of the people working in courts to embrace new IT and

work organisation solutions.

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DIGITISATION OF THE COURT

Goal

Court proceedings will become paperless.

The technology used by the court supports the achievement of the court’s substantive

objectives and prevents the transmission and creation of unnecessary data. Procedural

information is concise and clear.

The court has a role for smartly ordering its information systems.

Sub-goals:

1) Information systems and digital solutions make it possible to conduct more efficient,

including faster and smoother proceedings, and reduce the number of typical errors.

2) The introduction of artificial intelligence and the automation of proceedings will replace

existing technical workflows (e.g. translation, identification of parties to proceedings),

which in turn will make it possible to redesign the work of the staff.

3) The introduction of artificial intelligence and the automation of proceedings will make it

possible to reorganise the work of the judge and the advocate general in such a manner

that the work of the advocate general will become more creative and the proportion of

work involving independent decision-making competence will increase.

4) The introduction of artificial intelligence provides the judge and the advocate general

with an important tool to navigate and draw conclusions from the law, background

information (legal literature, case law), procedural documents and evidence.

5) Proceedings are viewed as a whole. The parties to proceedings will receive an

application that can assess, based on previous case law, the prospects for the success

of litigation and the amount of time and money needed, so they can make an informed

decision on whether to go to the court.

6) Information systems make it easier for people to go to court in typical proceedings while

ensuring the substantive quality of this.

Measures

Stage I (can be done with existing technology)

• Launch an essentially new stage of digitisation of courts to automate and deploy

artificial intelligence. Identify sections of work where artificial intelligence and

automation could be applied. We will set a schedule and provide the necessary

resources to follow it.

• Introduce either artificial intelligence or automation, depending on the possibilities, in

the technical workflows of the Payment Orders Department, Land Registry and

Registration Department.

• Gradually make the communication between the court and the parties to proceedings

fully digital.

• Introduce a new court information system, replacing the current document-based

proceedings with data-based proceedings. Ensure that data are not entered

repeatedly.

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• In simpler proceedings, switch to forms filled in the information system (e.g.

maintenance claim). The information system will facilitate their submission via

questions. Artificial intelligence and automation will help prepare actions and

complaints.

• Based on the data entered, the information system generates the main templates of

rulings and other procedural documents as well as the more typical procedural

documents as a whole.

• Make approval and signing procedures faster.

• Hearings can be recorded on video, if necessary. AI prepares the transcripts of

hearings and, on the basis of the transcripts, records/summaries of the facts relevant

to the dispute.

• Translation is based on AI or translation software and only edited by a human, if

necessary.

• Create a system that makes it possible to identify repetitions in texts and avoid

duplication of evidence in files.

• Identification of persons in remote interviews and video hearings is carried out using

digital solutions, similar to notaries.

• AI takes over communication with people in solving their everyday, simpler requests,

but people must be able to communicate with a human if they wish.

• AI divides cases more precisely than before, taking into account workload,

specialisation, proximity to home, etc.

• AI/automation makes it possible to determine the price and state fees of an action and

assess the monetary amount of claims, the need for procedural assistance and support

for the allocation and determination of the costs of the proceedings.

• AI/automation cleanses rulings of personal and other data whose disclosure would

harm the interests of the parties to the proceedings (e.g. disclosure of the file to the

press).

• Provide staff with ongoing training in the digital skills they need to do their job.

Stage II

• In the pre-trial proceedings of simpler cases, AI will organise the exchange of

documents and the initial review of applications.

• Interpretation is based on AI.

• AI supports the management of proceedings and keeps an eye on all the ongoing

proceedings of a judge, reminding them at the right time what needs to be done and,

where necessary, carrying out simpler standardised operations itself.

• AI helps analyse evidence.

• AI analyses and summarises large procedural documents, thereby helping to identify

the facts the parties are disputing.

• AI identifies deepfakes and highlights inconsistencies.

• AI analyses case law on the basis of data from legislation, case law and legal literature

databases (Estonian, EU law). Based on the knowledge gained, AI will prepare a draft

settlement (especially formula-based settlements, such as maintenance, default

interest, price reduction), leaving the judge the option to correct the settlement and

develop the practice further and the obligation to check the compliance of the draft with

the legislation and case law.

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• AI offers the parties the option to settle the dispute out of court on an online platform.

• The data of court proceedings can be used to develop AI in a way that ensures the

protection of personal data.

Pending the completion of major projects, the existing court information system will be actively

upgraded, eliminating its shortcomings and improving user-friendliness.

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COMMUNICATION

Goal

The purpose of the court’s communication is to be open, clear and visible. Effective

communication builds understanding and trust in the court, helps maintain the authority of the

administration of justice and improves the court’s reputation.

Sub-goals:

1) The trust in the court is still high and growing.

2) The court is visible, with a clear message and for the people.

3) The court values public administration of justice while ensuring the protection of

personal data.

4) The court contributes to increasing the legal awareness of journalists and the public,

including young people.

5) As a highly valued employer, the court understands the role of strong internal

communication.

Measures

• We will explain the course of proceedings in cases of public interest.

• We will make proposals to journalists to cover important civil and administrative cases.

• We will continue busting major myths about the administration of justice.

• We will rethink the choice of channels based on the target group we want to address

with our messages.

• Judges are ready to explain judgments to the public. We have an agreed organisation

of work regarding who explains the judgments if the judges who processed the case

do not do so.

• We train people who speak on behalf of the court.

• We are active in the media and visible through our own programmes, podcast or blog.

• We are active and visible on social media.

• We will allow public access to hearings, including video hearings, and, where possible,

organise webcasts of hearings and the deliveries of judgments.

• In compliance with data protection rules, we will provide journalists with access to court

rulings and case materials, including a clear and transjudicial understanding of the

presentation of a file, including a digital file.

• We will share the principles of court proceedings and the rule of law with the press and

the public: we will organise round tables and meetings and publish introductory and

explanatory materials.

• We will raise the awareness of young people: we will invite schools to observe hearings,

organise events for young people, participate in fairs, visit schools and universities,

organise internship and case competitions, cooperate with student organisations, and

encourage judges to teach classes in schools.

• We will ensure consistent, open, fair and effective internal communication in all courts,

where the keywords are ‘people-centred’ and ‘our people’.

• We will support the public image of the court as an employer with the necessary

messages.