Increasing the Quality, Services and Infrastructure in Lithuanian Courts

Description

Public opinion polls show that the perceived lack of transparency in the courts, prolonged judicial proceedings, and the lack of physical and psychological security for the parties are among the main reasons for the society to distrust the Lithuanian judicial system. Transparency, efficiency and a greater focus on the needs of court staff and clients are among the most commonly identified areas, therefore improving them would enable judiciary to develop competencies and increase public trust in judiciary.

The project aims to contribute to the development of a more efficient and effective justice system in Lithuania.

The project includes:

• A new model for selection and evaluation of judges that would ensure greater efficiency on formation of the judiciary, transparency and the independence of the judiciary.
• Methodological materials and training programmes based on best foreign practice, which would enable to develop the competencies of judiciary, necessary for ensuring the procedural cooperation, conducting the court proceedings in an objective and transparent manner, and assure efficient organization of court activities.
• Training programmes for court volunteers, mentors and delivery of training.
• Public campaigns on legal education purposes. 
• Installation of security measures / technological solutions to ensure security in courts.
• Adaptation of public spaces of the courts to meet needs of the parties of the proceedings.

The systemic tools developed within the project will increase the efficiency and transparency of the court process, shorten the duration of the proceedings and ensure effective protection of the violated rights.

Target groups of the project are judiciary (judges, court staff and the staff of National Courts Administration), prosecutors, lawyers, litigants and public.

Donor project partner Norwegian Courts Administration will contribute to project activities through its expertise and exchange of the best practices.

Summary of project results

Here are the main challenges addressed by the project:

• Long Judicial Proceedings: While Lithuania has one of the shortest trial times in Europe, there are still delays in some parts of the judiciary. In 2017, criminal cases in regional courts took an average of 240 days to examine. Since Lithuanian courts handle over 302,000 cases each year, and only around 5% of these go to higher courts, the focus is on reducing the time it takes to examine cases at the first court instance, making justice more accessible.

• Low Public Trust in the Courts: Public trust in the Lithuanian judicial system is very low. Between 2015 and 2018, only about 30% of people trusted the courts. After an anti-corruption crackdown in 2019, trust dropped even further to 15.8%. Public dissatisfaction is mainly due to poor communication from the courts, long trial times, and lack of transparency. While measures were taken to improve trust, it remains low.

• Lack of Transparency and Objectivity in Judicial Selection: People in Lithuania have a limited understanding of how judges are selected and evaluated. There is no clear, transparent process for judging judges’ independence and performance, and only their professional skills are considered, not their social or personal skills. The draft Law on Courts amendments and recommendations from GRECO (Group of States Against Corruption) aim to address these issues with a more transparent, impartial process.

• High Workload and Staff Turnover: Judges in Lithuania have a very high caseload compared to other European countries. Although reforms were implemented in 2018 to address the workload imbalance, more work is needed to improve court management. There is still a lack of administrative and managerial competence in the courts.

• Insufficient Court Services and Security: While basic security measures like surveillance cameras, alert buttons, and access control systems were introduced between 2014-2016, the court infrastructure still falls short. Courtrooms and public areas are not always accessible to people with special needs, and more modern solutions are needed for providing information to the public about court hearings and services. Court clients often feel psychologically unsafe during proceedings. Additionally, the Court Volunteer Service, which supports witnesses and victims, is still in its early stages and needs further development.

• Limited Access to International Best Practices: To improve public trust and confidence in the judicial system, Lithuania needs to improve court services and learn from international best practices. The project focuses on enhancing cooperation with the Norwegian Courts Administration, which will help adapt successful practices in Lithuania and promote European judicial culture.

Project Implementation Results:

Improving the Quality of Court Proceedings in Lithuania

• Developed a new model for selecting and evaluating judges, focusing on both social and personal skills.
• Created an IT tool to streamline and improve the judge selection and evaluation process.
• Developed an electronic tool to manage the qualification improvement, training, and selection of judges and judicial candidates.
• Conducted a study on court proceedings, including analysis of the current system, monitoring of court practices, examining best practices from other countries, and drafting legal acts.
• Developed a methodology to improve court proceedings for judges, prosecutors, and lawyers.
• Organised study visits to Norway and Canada to explore their judicial systems, management strategies, court proceedings, and best practices.
• Created a guide on effective leadership in court proceedings for criminal cases.
• Developed training programs on various aspects of court proceedings, including:
  • Management of Court Proceedings in Criminal Cases
  • Leadership in Court Hearings for Civil, Administrative, and Administrative Offense Cases
  • Writing High-Quality Procedural Decisions
  • The Value-Based Integrity of the Judicial System to Combat Corruption
• Provided training to 1,196 people on the management of court proceedings in criminal cases and writing high-quality procedural decisions.
• Hosted an international conference titled "Changes in the Judiciary System: From Implementing the Judges'' Competency Model to More Efficient Court Proceedings" to share best practices.
• Ran public legal education campaigns, including:
  • A virtual court exhibition to educate the public about court activities and their historical background.
  • A volunteer promotion campaign, recruiting new volunteers, particularly targeting young people and seniors.

Improving Court Services and Infrastructure in Lithuania

• Conducted a study on improving competencies for effective court resource management, which included:
  • Analyzing the current situation and best practices from other countries.
  • Surveying stakeholders and developing a competencies model for court leaders.
  • Preparing criteria for selecting and evaluating court leaders and creating a corruption prevention mechanism.
• Trained 1,345 individuals in Strategic Leadership and Effective Performance in the judiciary.
• Organized international conferences on topics like "Challenges in Judge Selection and Volunteering in Courts," "Changes in the Judicial System: From Implementing the Judges'' Competency Model to More Efficient Court Proceedings," and "Judicial Leadership: A Catalyst for Simplifying Court Processes and Promoting Collaboration."
• Developed a training program for court volunteers and mentors.
• Established measures for the court volunteers’ institute, including:
  • Creating a logo and insignia for the volunteer service.
  • Acquiring initial equipment for volunteers.
  • Analyzing current volunteer activities and preparing recommendations.
  • Preparing a guide for court volunteers.
• Reconstructed Vilnius District Court and Kaunas District Court to improve court facilities.
  • Equipped courtrooms, waiting areas, and spaces for people with special needs, volunteers, and the media.
• Implemented security measures and technological solutions in 16 courts to ensure safety.

The project focused on three main areas:

1. Strengthening the transparency and independence of the judiciary, and implementing innovations.
2. Improving the quality of court proceedings and service delivery.
3. Enhancing court infrastructure and increasing security in Lithuanian courts.

Added Value and Impact of the Project:

• Judicial Selection Innovations:

  • The project introduced a new model for selecting and evaluating judges, along with the creation of a Judicial Register (TERIS), a platform similar to "LinkedIn" for judges.
  • The process for assessing the competencies of judges and judicial candidates was also improved.
  • Impact: This increased transparency in the selection process, strengthened the independence of the selection committee, improved anti-corruption measures, made data management more efficient, and enhanced data security.
     

• Improving Court Proceedings and Service Delivery:

  • A study on conducting court proceedings was developed, along with a practical guide for improving court processes.
  • Training sessions on court proceedings were held, attended by 1196 participants.
  • A study on strengthening competencies for court resource management was completed, and training in managerial competencies was organized, with 1345 participants.
  • Three study visits were held to learn from international best practices.
  • Impact: Standards for efficient court proceedings were developed and implemented, leading to faster court procedures. The management of court resources improved, which increased efficiency and strengthened the competencies of court leaders.
     

• Enhancing Court Infrastructure and Security:

  • The two largest courts in Lithuania were modernized, updating public spaces to meet the needs of court visitors.
  • Technical security measures were implemented in 16 court buildings.
  • Impact: Public spaces were updated, facilities were made accessible for people with disabilities, and a client flow management system was introduced. Corruption prevention measures and security were enhanced, along with the introduction of new technological solutions.

Beneficiaries:

• Judges, court staff, participants in court proceedings, and society at large.

Overall Impact: The project led to more efficient court operations, greater transparency in judicial processes, and improved quality of service in the courts.

Summary of bilateral results

The project was implemented together with the donor partner, the Norwegian Court Administration. Their representatives contributed to the organisation and implementation of most of the project activities. Experts from the Norwegian Judicial Administration provided valuable input in developing the Judge Selection and Assessment Model, the Court Managers Selection and Assessment Competency Model and a practical guide for criminal court processes. They also provided comments and recommendations in the preparation of the analysis of the activities of the Judicial Volunteer Service, as well as contributed to the organisation of court internships in Norway, the Netherlands and Canada. Additionally, they participated in and gave presentations at two international conferences. This partnership with the Norwegian Judicial Administration has been ongoing for 12 years, during which several joint projects have been successfully completed. There are plans to continue collaborating on future bilateral projects.