Digitalization of the judiciary: Dessau-Roßlau starts with e-file and video hearings!

Digitalization of the judiciary: Dessau-Roßlau starts with e-file and video hearings!

There is news in the finance court of the state of Saxony-Anhalt in Dessau-Roßlau: Electronic files (e-files) have been fully used since October 1, 2025. This measure means that all proceedings in the specialized court will now be conducted in digital form. The Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection, Franziska Weidinger, described the introduction of e-files as an important step in the digitalization of the judiciary. The President of the Finance Court, Afra Waterkamp, ​​also emphasized the good inter-agency cooperation. There are also the first steps towards audit-proof video negotiations, which are due to take place shortly.

However, the digital transformation of the judiciary in Saxony-Anhalt is not without challenges. Justice Minister Weidinger mentions that it is difficult to imagine that all courts in Saxony-Anhalt will be able to work completely electronically by 2026. The Association of Judges has already pointed out failures in digitalization, which the association's chairman Christian Löffler sees as a sign of a failure on the part of the political leadership. Despite these critical voices, the minister recognizes the existing problems and describes the situation as unsatisfactory. She assures that considerable efforts are being made to make up for the shortcomings of the last decades. Last year, over 20 million euros were invested in digitalization, including for laptops and data backup systems, showing that progress is being made, even if the goals are ambitious.

Where is digitalization headed?

The introduction of electronic file management is just one part of a comprehensive reform plan that is also underway at the federal level. The draft law “On the further digitalization of the judiciary” is being discussed in the Legal Affairs Committee of the Bundestag. The agenda includes, among other things, making it easier to file criminal charges and the possibility of participating in main appeal hearings via video conference. Experts have different opinions on these planned changes, with some also raising concerns about the widespread implementation of e-files and the need for comprehensive reform.

Dr. Angelika Allgayer from the Federal Court of Justice and other experts emphasize that the switch to electronic files and electronic legal transactions has already begun. The desired hybrid file management is seen as an acceptable interim solution to pave the way for massive digitalization of the justice system. Romea Thüsing from the University of Bonn adds that data protection should not act as an obstacle to digitalization, but should be perceived as an enabling right.

The development of the finance court in Dessau-Roßlau shows that, despite the existing challenges and critical voices, significant progress is being made in the digital justice landscape. However, completely replacing paper files by 2026 remains an ambitious goal that must be pursued carefully.

For those interested, there is also the public hearing in the Legal Affairs Committee of the Bundestag, which will take place on May 15, 2024. There, experts will present and discuss further insights into the planned modernization of the judiciary.

Continue to find out about current developments and show your interest in the digital future of our justice system.

For more information please visit the articles on mz.de, n-tv.de, and bundestag.de.