A strategic cooperation agreement has been concluded between the National Office for the Judiciary and the NISZ National Infocommunications Services Company Ltd. (NISZ Ltd.) with the aim of further developing the courts’ infrastructure in the field of remote interviewing and installing image and sound recording apparatus in the courtrooms. The agreement was signed by Dr. Tünde Handó, President of the National Office for the Judiciary and Ferenc Bancsics, CEO of NISZ Ltd. on 12 February 2019.

What makes a judge a master of judgment? What is the role of justice in society? In addition to practical and administrative issues, such topics requiring deeper thinking have been discussed in the course of the training organized at the Hungarian Academy of Justice for civil judges appointed for a limited period of time. Thirty judges and fifteen assistant judges are taking part in the first training for the new generation target group between 4-8 February. 

Remote hearing can simplify, speed up procedural actions in civil, economic, administrative and labor cases and make them more cost-effective.

During their visit to Hungary, the delegation of the Venice Commission, operating beside the Council of Europe, had a meeting with the President of the National Office for the Judiciary (NOJ) on 4 February 2019. The body wanted to get familiar with the operation of the judiciary and the transformation of the administrative court system.

On the opening day of the training for local court leaders at the Hungarian Academy of Justice, dr. Tünde Handó, the President of the National Office for the Judiciary (NOJ) expressed that leadership approach, awareness, and a broadened-mind vision is an expectation for court leaders. Training focuses primarily on social skills, so-called soft skills.

The launch of Érd District Court, 14th District Court of Budapest Environs Regional Court is aimed at easier and simpler access to justice.

As of January 2020, there will be a significant increase in judicial salaries, the preparation of which the government entrusted on the National Office for the Judiciary (NOJ), the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Finance. The President of the NOJ and László Trócsányi, the Minister of Justice, discussed different tasks related to these issues.

In December 2018, 44 judges held a total of 103 remote hearings, which means a seven-fold increase compared to the first month, September. The hearings took place on 88 occasions in the penitentiary, in 7 cases in the courtroom, and 8 times from abroad. During the period under review, 67 accused, 22 convicted persons or other parties, 2 persons under proceedings, 2 civil litigants and 10 witnesses were heard with the help of the new equipment.

More than 2 million electronic submissions were received by the courts between 1 January 2013 and 1 January 2018. In the civil law area (civil, economic, administrative and labour cases) 1 275 676 while in the non-litigious cases (bankruptcy, liquidation, enforcement, other non-litigious civil cases, registration of civil organizations) 333 751, in criminal and criminal offence cases 451,410 submissions were received in the above mentioned period of time.

Only the court system that does not retreat to an ivory tower but dare to take on the social role and even the cultural mission that the third branch of power has to fulfill in a state under the rule of law, can succeed - said dr. Tünde Handó at the Centenary Conference organised for the 100th anniversary of the moving of the Eperjes Evangelical Academy to Miskolc.