Perception and willingness of the Slovenian legal profession to use videoconference

Abstract

Slovenian courts have not yet been equipped with videoconference systems. Approximately 50 proceedings have been lead within our courts with the support of videoconference systems, but these were all outsourced separately to professional firms for each session. At the Faculty of Law of the University of Maribor, a study was conducted with the aim to explore opinions on the use of videoconferences in judicial proceedings. The research involves Slovenian judges, legal practitioners, law professors and students, and other legal experts, to whom an electronic questionnaire was distributed. The aim was to investigate general opinions on videoconferencing concerning the reasons for and knowledge about its use, knowledge of videoconferencing equipment, and general use of information technology and the Internet. After adoption of the proper legislation in Slovenia, important issues have to be researched such as the possible locations for connection and whether to start with a pilot project. Nevertheless, willingness of court personnel is the basis for a successful implementation of the project and further use of videoconferencing.

Keywords:

• videoconferencing
• court proceedings
• legal profession
• e-justice
• survey

Notes

Definition on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videoconferencing

Published in OJ C 197/2000. Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union.

Published in OJ L 174/2001, Council Regulation (EC) No 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on co-operation between the courts of the Member States in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters.

See Council of European Union (2007) Document No. 10509/07 JURINFO 23 JAI 301 JUSTCIV 163 COPEN 89, dated 7 June 2007.

Published in OJ C 75/1/2009. Multi-Annual e-Justice Action Plan 2009–2013. EU Council.

For more information see B. Lesjak, A. Hietenan and M. Lah, E-Justice Videoconferencing (Ljubljana, Slovenia: Ministry of Justice Slovenia, 2008).

Web page: http://www.spss.com/

In our opinion included here are skills with simple videoconference solutions such as Skype, MSN Messenger or Google talk, which enable textual communications (chat) and transfer of audio and video (http://www.skype.com/; http://webmessenger.msn.com/; http://www.google.com/talk/).