Information technology of lawyers during the stateof emergency for epidemiological reasons

Abstract

The period from 11 March 2020 to 17 June 2020 significantly affected the work of all participants in the field of justice, including that of the lawyers. In the first phase, an extraordinary court vacation was ordered for nearly 15 days. After that, personal presence at all kinds of procedural acts was still to be avoided whenever possible, receiving customers is person was still suspended, and such procedural acts took place only in exceptional cases. In the study, we examine from basically a technical or administrative perspective, how these constraints affected the day-to-day work of lawyers, and how lawyers were able to fulfill their role in the field of justice. Based on the results of a survey of lawyers, we also show which are the areas where mandatory social distancing has made the day-to-day work of a lawyer the most difficult (including difficulties in serving clients). We also highlight where the weak spots of the information technology capabilities of lawyers seem to be, and, from the point of view of lawyers, which are the areas of state services where further developments are justified.