Strasbourg, 18 March 2021

CEPEJ-SATURN(2021)6

EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF JUSTICE

(CEPEJ)

WORKING GROUP ON JUDICIAL TIME MANAGEMENT

(CEPEJ-SATURN)

29^th meeting (Strasbourg - videoconference, 18 February 2021)

MEETING REPORT

Report prepared by the Secretariat

Directorate General I - Human Rights and the Rule of Law

1.         INTRODUCTION

1.             The Working Group on judicial time management of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ-SATURN) held its 29^th meeting on 18 February 2021. Considering the sanitary situation, the meeting took place via videoconference (KUDO).

The agenda and the list of participants are attached, as Appendices I and II respectively, to this report.

2.         DASHBOARD FOR JUDICIAL MANAGEMENT

2.             Shanee BENKIN (Israel) and Martin MIKUŠ (Slovak Republic) presented the second draft handbook on judicial dashboards (Document CEPEJ-SATURN(2020)8REV1) that was developed through research and collection of examples of dashboards. The document contained examples of court-level and judge-level dashboards specifically developed for the handbook and outlined their content and layout. The document provided guidelines for the judiciary on how to set up a dashboard system, supplementing it with technical requirements.

3.             The Group expressed its appreciation for the document. It decided that the handbook should be finalised and submitted for adoption at the meeting on 30 March 2021. The Group also suggests supplementing the examples of dashboards with Excel templates that contain the formulas to make it easier for jurisdictions to develop the dashboards. By populating the Excel files with data collected by the courts, jurisdictions can create their own dashboards similar to the examples in the Manual. Furthermore, the importance of linking dashboards with case management systems was also highlighted.

3.         ROLE FORACTORS OF JUSTICE IN PREVENTING DELAYS IN COURT PROCEEDINGS

4.             In 2020, the Group decided to enrich the existing Revised SATURN guidelines on time management with the provisions targeting other actors of justice, including lawyers, judicial experts, enforcement agents and court staff.

5.             The Working Group examined the draft Guidelines on time management for lawyers (Document CEPEJ-SATURN(2020)5REV1) prepared by Joan Miquel RASCAGNERES (Andorra) and discussed the comments submitted by the Council of Bars and Law Societies (CCBE) represented during the meeting by its Vice-President, James MACGUILL. The Group expressed its appreciation for the document. It was agreed that the expert would revise the document before the meeting on 30 March 2021 in the light of the comments provided. In particular, they will adjust the sections on mediation, obligations for lawyers and information and communication technologies while referring to CEPEJ and other relevant documents. In this context, it was decided to remove the reference to the non-compulsory character of mediation and add the references to the CEPEJ guidelines on mediation.

6.             The Working Group also examined the draft Guidelines on time management for judicial experts (Document CEPEJ-SATURN(2020)12) prepared Gilbert COUSTEAUX (France) and discussed the written comments submitted by the European Expertise and Expert Institute (EEEI) represented during the meeting by Claude VALLET and Alain NUÉE. The Group expressed its appreciation for the document. It was underlined that the delays relating to expert opinions cannot be solely attributed to judicial experts, but also to parties when requesting complex expert interventions, or courts when taking too long to appoint experts. The Group agreed that the guidelines would focus on experts appointed by courts, to be in line with the CEPEJ guidelines on this matter adopted in 2014, and not to be addressed to states and parties, as initially suggested by EEEI. It was agreed that the expert would revise the document for the meeting on 30 March 2021.

7.             Due to technical problems, the planned discussion on the draft Guidelines on time management for Rechtspflegers was adjourned until the meeting on 30 March 2021.

   

4. TOOLS ENABLING TO BETTER ANALYSE TIMEFRAMES OF JUDICIAL PROCEDURES

8.         Ruth STRAGANZ-SCHRŐFL (Austria) presented the draft questionnaire (Document CEPEJ-SATURN(2021)4) with a view to developing the methodological tool to help to identify delays in civil proceedings and reasons behind these delays.

 

8.             The Group expressed its appreciation for the document. The numerous exchanges with the expert before and during the development of the questionnaire showed the complexity of the exercise, but questioned also the methodology, the relevance of the future tool as well as the purpose and challenges inherent in this exercise. The concerns raised by the Secretariat were echoed by the Group. For these reasons, the Group decided to postpone the discussion on this item to allow for further reflection. A taskforce could be set up to prepare the ground for eventual further work.

7. JUDICIAL TIME MANAGEMENT IN TIME OF CRISIS

 

9.             Joan Miquel RASCAGNERES and Philippe THÉLIN (Switzerland) presented a concept note (Document CEPEJ-SATURN(2021)1) and a survey (Document CEPEJ-SATURN(2021)2) prepared with a view to elaborating a future tool (e.g. guidelines or a toolkit) on judicial management in time of crisis. The current health crisis showed an even greater reliance of the justice sector on communication and information technologies and the necessity to adjust working methods (e.g. teleworking, videoconferencing and building adaptation) and to explore an interplay between different actors of justice (e.g. judges, prosecutors, lawyers and mediators). The concept note proposed that the future tool be based on these measures, often innovative, put in place in jurisdictions to deliver quality and timely judicial services despite major disruptions.

10.          The survey focussed on judicial time management tools used during the pandemic and on crisis management strategies. It was mentioned that the measures put in place during the pandemic crisis have likely impacted judicial time management. The direct experience of courts would be relevant with a view to elaborating the future tool. The Group asked the experts to finalise the survey, putting more emphasis on judicial time management. The survey should be submitted to the pilot courts and could be followed by a videoconference or individual meetings with their representatives.

8. OTHER BUSINESS

11.          The next meeting of the CEPEJ-SATURN will take place on 30 March 2021.

ANNEX I

AGENDA / ORDRE DU JOUR

The working documents are available on the CEPEJ collaborative workspace

ANNEXE II 

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS / LISTE DES PARTICIPANTS

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MEMBERS / MEMBRES

Ivana BORZOVÁ, Head of Department of Civil Supervision, Ministry of Justice /Chef du département de la supervision civile, Ministère de la justice, Vysehradská 16, 128 10 PRAGUE 2, CZECH REPUBLIC, Tel: +420 221 997 416, e-mail: [email protected]

Ivan CRNČEC, Assistant Minister of Justice / Assistant du ministre de la justice, Ulica grada Vukovara 49, 10 000 ZAGREB, CROATIA, e-mail:  [email protected] 

Francesco DEPASQUALE, Magistrate, Legal Advisor to the Director General, Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs / Magistrat, conseiller spécial auprès du directeur général, Ministère de la justice et des affaires intérieures,184 St Lucia Street, VALLETTA 1189, MALTA, Tel: +356 20 99 64 45, e-mail: [email protected]

Vassilis ANDROULAKIS, Judge, Council of State / Juge, Conseil d’Etat ATHENS, GREECE, e-mail: [email protected],

Giacomo OBERTO, Magistrat, Tribunal de Grande Instance, via San Francesco d'Assisi 14, 10122 TURIN, ITALIE,

Tél:+39 01153 28 56, e-mail: [email protected](President of SATURN / Président du SATURN)

Xavier RONSIN, Premier président de la cour d'appel de Rennes, France, e-mail : [email protected] Appologised/Excusé

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Scientific ExpertS / Experts scientifiques

Shanee BENKIN, Scientific expert / Expert scientifique Moshav Ein Iron 039, HADERA, ISRAEL, Tel: +972 547394064, e-mail: [email protected]

Gilbert COUSTEAUX, Juge, TOULOUSE, FRANCE, e-mail : [email protected]

Marco FABRI, Research Institute on Judicial Systems, National Research Council (IRSIG-CNR) / Institut de recherche sur les systèmes judiciaires, Conseil national de la recherche, Via Zamboni 26, 40126 BOLOGNA, ITALY, Tel: +39 (0)51 237 044, Fax: +39 (0)51 260 250, e-mail: [email protected]

Martin MIKUŠ, Analytical Centre, Ministry of Justice / Centre d’analyse, Ministère de la justice,BRATISLAVA, SLOVAK REPUBLIC, e-mail: [email protected]

Joan Miquel RASCAGNERES, Avocat, ANDORRE, e-mail : [email protected]

Ruth STRAGANZ-SCHROEFL, Deputy Head, Organisational development, personnel planning and controlling Department, Federal Ministry of Constitution, Reforms, Deregulation and Justice / Chef de service adjoint du département du développement organisationnel, de la planification et du contrôle du personnel,  Ministère fédéral de la Constitution, des réformes, de la déréglementation et de la justice VIENNA, Tel: +43 1 521 52-2207, e-mail: [email protected]

Philippe THELIN, Ancien juge, GENEVE, SUISSE, e-mail :  [email protected]

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INVITED DELEGATIONS / DELEGATIONS INVITEES

EGYPT / EGYPTE

Mohamed RASLAN, Vice-président, Conseil d’Etat, CAIRO, e-mail : [email protected]

LATVIA / LETTONIE

Svetlana BEĻAJEVA, Riga Appeal Court, Judge / Juge à la cour d’appel de RIGA, [email protected]

Agnija KARLSONE-DJOMKINA, Head of Project Management and International Cooperation Division, Court Administration / Chef de projet à la division sur le management et la coopération internationale, administration judiciaire, Mukasalas Street 416, RIGA, Tel +371 26458289, e-mail: [email protected]

MOROCCO / MAROC

Abdeljabbar SADIK, Chef de la Division des Etudes, Direction des Etudes Coopération et Modernisation, Ministère de la Justice, RABAT, e-mail : [email protected] 

Mounir DELAHI, e-mail : [email protected]

SLOVAK REPUBLIC/RÉPUBLIQUE SLOVAQUE

Zuzana SCHURER PIOVARČIOVÁ, Adviser of the Analytical Unit, Ministry of Justice / Conseiller à l’unité d’analyse, Ministère de la Justice, BRATISLAVA

                                                                                        ***

OBSERVERS / OBSERVATEURS

EUROPEAN UNION OF RECHTSPFLEGER AND COURT CLERKS / UNION EUROPEENNE DES GREFFIERS DE JUSTICE (EUR)

Wolfgang LAEMMER, e-mail: [email protected]

Jean-Jacques KUSTER, 24, rue de la Canardière, 67100 Strasbourg, FRANCE, Tél : +33 (0)6 83 61 78 05, e-mail: [email protected]

COUNCIL OF THE BARS AND LAW SOCIETIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION / CONSEIL DES BARREAUX EUROPÉENS (CCBE)

Peter McNAMEE, Senior Legal Advisor / Conseiller juridique principal

James MacGUILL, CCBE Vice-Président

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS / AGENCE DE L’UNION EUROPEENNE POUR LES DROITS FONDAMENTAUX 

Matylda POGORZELSKA, Freedoms and Justice Department / Département des libertés et de la justice, Schwarzenbergplatz 11, 1040 VIENNA, AUSTRIA, e-mail: [email protected]

EUROPEAN EXPERTISE AND EUROPEAN INSTITUTE (EEEI) / INSTITUT EUROPEEN DE L’EXPERTISE ET DE L’EXPERT (EEEI) 

Alain NUEE, Alain NUEE, Président du comité d'Orientation, PARIS, France, e-mail : [email protected]

Claude VALLET, e-mail : [email protected]

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COUNCIL OF EUROPE / CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE

SECRETARIAT

Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) 

Direction générale droits de l’Homme et Etat de droit (DGI)

E-mail : [email protected]

Muriel DECOT, Secretary of the CEPEJ / Secrétaire de la CEPEJ, Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 44 55, e-mail: muriel.dé[email protected]

Eva KONECNA, Secretary of the Group CEPEJ-SATURN / Secrétaire du groupe CEPEJ-SATURN, Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 23 07, e-mail: e[email protected]

Milan NIKOLIC, Co-Secretary of the Group CEPEJ-SATURN/ Co-Secrétaire du groupe CEPEJ-SATURN, Tel : +33(0) 88 41 22 49, e-mail : [email protected]

Jovana MATIC, Project coordinator / Coordinatrice de projet, e-mail : [email protected]

Anastasiia NOHOVITSYNA, Project coordinator / Coordinatrice de projet, e-mail : [email protected]

INTERPRETERS / INTERPRETES

BEDDOWS-LARIVIERE Amanda

BOUX Sylvie

JAIN Rémy

DI STEFANO Katia