A major disruption occurred on Monday morning at the Nicosia Courts due to a failure of the i-Justice system, the only operational system after the collapse of e-Justice. The issue caused significant inconvenience for both lawyers and their clients.

According to reports, the failure was due to a malfunction in the electrical installations of three court buildings, leading to a power outage as a precautionary measure. The problem has since been resolved.

In a statement, the Cyprus Bar Association emphasized that "in the year 2025, it is unacceptable for our courts to lack adequate and secure infrastructure to ensure the smooth operation of the justice system."

The statement highlighted yet again the inadequacy of the court buildings in Nicosia and the urgent need for new judicial facilities in the capital. The association expressed hope that, in line with recent commitments from the Minister of Transport, Communications, and Works, the necessary studies and actions will soon be undertaken to acquire, renovate, and relocate the courts to the former FBME building.

Additionally, the association stressed that the daily administrative operations of the courts should fall under the responsibility of a new Independent Court Service. This entity, which has been pending implementation since 2018 based on recommendations from Irish experts, would oversee court infrastructure and facilities.

On October 2, 2024, Deputy Minister for Research and Innovation Nikodimos Damianos instructed the initiation of a tender process to upgrade the i-Justice system. The system, in operation since February 1, 2022, requires all new cases to be filed electronically, with no option for paper-based submissions.

The failed e-Justice system was originally valued at €6.2 million (€5.8 million for the initial contract plus an additional €400,000 for approved modifications). Before its collapse in January 2024, €1.25 million had already been paid.

e-Justice failed just weeks after its launch, prompting the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy to attempt a recovery by involving system users—the Cyprus Bar Association and the Judicial Service. Despite their initial reluctance, they eventually joined the project council to address the system’s issues.

Unlike e-Justice, i-Justice is primarily a document management system rather than a comprehensive electronic justice platform, with a cost of approximately €600,000.

The i-Justice upgrade is deemed essential as the implementation of a centralized online court information system across all courts is a pressing necessity. The upgrade aims to accelerate administrative processes, reduce waiting times for the public, and enhance the overall user experience within the country’s judicial system.