Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia 22 -26, Nemanjina Street Belgrade 11000 www. mpravde. gov. rs

ICT Projects in Serbian Judiciary Ministry of Justice Department for operations and technologies

Introduction: Implementation of court Case Management System (CMS/AVP) is a project for standardization of automated case management for all employees in Serbian courts within the Judiciary Reform • Ministry of Justice (Department for Operations and Technologies) created and coordinated realization of the Project with partnersimplementors • Ministry of Justice (Department for Operations and Technologies) worked closely with the AVP (CMS) Committee • Cooperation and coordination among the Mo. J sectors and AVP (CMS) Commitee with the High Court Council (HCC), The Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC), and representatives from all basic, higher and commercial courts in Republic of Serbia

Executed plans and tasks (1) • AVP (CMS) was implemented in 36 basic and 24 higher courts in Republic of Serbia in first 9 months of 2010, helped by financial support from Serbian budged and Multi Donor Trust Fund, in cooperation with the World Bank • Since 2008, all 17 commercial courts in Republic of Serbia work in AVP (CMS) software (implemented by USAID-CCASA Project in coordination with Mo. J) • Through AVP (CMS) all basic, higher and commercial courts form an integrated and connected electronic system for collection, exchange and transfer of case data under their jurisdiction

Executed plans and tasks (2) • Verification of real-estate contracts is an integral part of AVP (CMS) application in all basic courts, and all verified contracts are kept in the central data base since January 2010 • Over 4000 judges, registrars and typists attended AVP (CMS) training before AVP implementation in basic and higher courts, as well as over 800 employees in commercial courts prior to AVP implementation • During 2010 case management has been harmonized through AVP (CMS) software in 77 courts • Prior to AVP (CMS) implementation there have been installed WAN/VPN networks and LAN networks have been adapted, electro -installations in courts have been renovated and improved (next slide)

Benefits for court employees after the AVP implementation (1) • Court administration, judges, judge’s assistants, interns, registrars, typists have fast and easy overview of all relevant information about cases and parties (without paper case files) • Court’s performance is more efficient and more transparent • Creation of reports from AVP (CMS) is available 24/7, in a few minutes time, by various criteria • Collection of statistical information is harmonized for all courts, available “on - line” in the courts and Mo. J, 24/7

Benefits for court employees after the AVP implementation (2) • Court performance results are easily measurable and comparable – presiding judges, court administration, court managers have easy access to information and possibility to track court performance on daily basis • Court fee calculation is automated, and fee collection results are available through AVP (CMS) • Scanned case documents and files provide easier overview and maximum security for paper case files (reconstruction of the whole case is doable in 10 minutes time, in situations when case file is physically destroyed) • Court users reduced the pressure to court employees, information about the cases are available “on–line” at www. portal. sud. rs

Benefits for parties and general public after AVP implementation (1) • Enhanced courts’ performance transparency and efficiency, faster resolution of pending cases • Rendom assignement of judges in newly received cases • AVP (CMS) provides prevention from double verification for realestate contracts by using national database of all real-estate transactions • Improved image of the courts in general public, the courts follow upto-date technology (CMS software, new computers, printers, scanners)

Benefits for parties and general public after AVP implementation (2) • In all basic, higher or commercial courts in Serbia, parties and all citizens receive the same quality of service • Parties and general public can get information about all cases from AVP (CMS) database, according to current laws, through the Portal of Serbian courts (www. portal. sud. rs), 24/7, without going to the courts, without phone calls • Total number of resolved and pending cases in AVP (CMS) database is over 5, 5 million cases, and most of those cases are available online

www. portal. sud. rs

Current projects • In 2010, AVP software was implemented in 15 court units in coordination and through support from the Government of the Kingdom of Norway. Current plan is to implement AVP in remaining 87 court units of basic courts, as well as, 7 more court units of commercial courts, by end of 2011. • Connection and transfer of data among higher and basic courts with appellate courts, the Administrative court and the Supreme Court of Cassation (electronic data transfers, centralized creation of reports…) through EU Delegation in Serbia project “Technical assistance to improve the efficiency and transparency of the Judiciary System – Europe Aid/127704/C/SER/RS”)

New projects in 2011 • Commencement of automation of misdemeanor courts in Republic of Serbia through USAID project-Judiciary Reform and Government Accountability • Automation of Public prosecutors’ offices and prisons in coordination with EU Delegation in Serbia, through “Improvement of Transparency and Efficiency (Prosecutors and Penal System)” project • Creation of long-term ICT strategy for Serbian Judiciary (connection of all Serbian judiciary and judiciary related users) through MDTF, supported by the Governement of Sweden

For achievements regarding AVP project and the Portal of Serbian courts, in December 2010, the Ministry of Justice received international “Diskobolos” reward Thank you all for cooperation