Critical evaluation of new Council of Europe guidelines concerning digital courts
Marek Stanisław Świerczyński
Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw , Polandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4079-0487
Abstract
Digitalisation of courts plays an increasingly important role in dispute resolution. It has the ability to improve access to justice by facilitating faster and less costly access to courts, thereby making dispute resolution more effective and efficient. However, wide use of digital courts also has the potential to restrict access to justice. Attention needs to be given to issues of authentication and identification of the parties, digital divide, cybersecurity and personal data protection. This paper concerns recent guidelines of the Council of Europe that aim to fully address these issues and assist member States in ensuring that implemented digital techniques in the courts do not undermine human dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms. The author answers and critically evaluates the specific questions and doubts relating to the content of the guidelines. The author’s recommendations can be taken into consideration by the Council of Europe in future updates of the guidelines.
Keywords:
online dispute resolution, artificial intelligence, Council of Europe, guidelinesReferences
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Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw
Marek Świerczyński, PhD (dr hab.), prof. of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, attorney-at-law, consultant to the Council of Europe on electronic evidence and the digitisation of the judiciary, Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence Law team at the Virtual Chair of Law and Ethics. Recently, Marek Świerczyński prepared Council of Europe guidelines regarding electronic evidence adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 2019 and the next guidelines on digitalisation of courts are to be adopted by the end of 2020. He is also coauthor of the AI strategy of the Ministry of Digitization and the strategy of health care for the Ministry of Health 2018/2019 ('Together for Health' debate). Marek Świerczyński is author or co-editor of many pioneer scientific publications, including first Polish legal manuals on artificial intelligence (C.H. Beck 2020). He is also a long-time advisor to international legal law firms, such as Baker & McKenzie.
Dr. habil., Associate Professor, Faculty of Law and Administration, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw; correspondence address: Woycickiego 1/3/17, 01-938 Warszawa, Poland.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4079-0487
