The long-standing demands of Cypriot lawyers for greater use of technology in the judicial system are finally materialising. OffsiteNews reveals that by June 2025, the first phase of the upgraded i-Justice system will officially go live.

This development follows the collapse of the e-Justice project, which was initially expected to revolutionise court operations in Cyprus. After the contract with the implementing company was terminated on October 2, 2024, Deputy Minister of Research and Innovation Nikodimos Damianou instructed the launch of a new tender process to upgrade the existing i-Justice system.

Following months of coordinated efforts, the first phase of the enhanced i-Justice platform is now ready. Starting in June, all Criminal Procedure Rules will be integrated into the system, granting access to both internal and external users of the judiciary — namely judges, court staff, and lawyers. This first phase will also include the Naval Court.

The second phase of i-Justice is scheduled for completion in 2027, incorporating the Supreme Court and the Supreme Constitutional Court into the platform.

The i-Justice system was initially launched on February 1, 2022, enabling all new cases to be filed electronically for the first time in Cyprus.

The i-Justice system serves primarily as a document management platform, rather than a fully developed electronic justice system. Its initial implementation cost was approximately €600,000.

The decision to upgrade the platform is considered essential, as the introduction of a Centralised Web-Based Information System across all courts aims to:

• streamline administrative operations,

• reduce waiting times for the public, and

• enhance the overall citizen experience in interactions with the judiciary.

Some of the main processes and functionalities include:

• Full electronic management of court cases

• Digital processing of fine warrants

• Electronic communication between courts, parties, and lawyers

• Digitisation of court schedules, replacing physical noticeboards with online listings

Additional updates accompanying the upgrade include:

• All new filings in courts and judicial procedures will now be conducted electronically.

• Legacy cases created in physical form before the introduction of the digital system will continue to be updated manually.

• Any external filings (by users outside the courts) will form part of each case’s electronic file.

Representatives from the legal profession expressed satisfaction with the progress, noting that technological modernization has been a long-standing demand. A delegation from the Cyprus Bar Association recently met with the Supreme Constitutional Court to discuss the need for improved technological infrastructure within the judiciary.