Remote court sessions in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative leap towards digital justice

Unprecedented digital achievement in the Saudi judiciary

His Excellency the Saudi Minister of Justice, Dr. Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani, announced a significant leap forward in the digital transformation of the justice sector, with over 660,000 remote court sessions conducted and more than 255,000 electronic judgments issued during the first quarter of this year. Al-Samaani emphasized that this achievement reflects the advanced stage of institutional maturity within the Kingdom's justice system, which has directly contributed to enhancing the efficiency of judicial performance, strengthening the quality of judgments, and consolidating their stability and reliability.

The minister explained that this institutional approach is based on the integration of three key dimensions: modern legislation, well-governed procedures, and advanced technological capabilities. This integration has resulted in clearer and more consistent justice, and has enhanced the predictability of judicial rulings, contributing to reducing litigation time and increasing the predictability of judicial outcomes to nearly 70%, which serves the interests of litigants and supports the investment environment.

General context: Judicial digital transformation within Vision 2030

This development is not a coincidence, but rather falls within the broader framework of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to build an effective digital government and a thriving economy. The Kingdom has invested heavily in digital infrastructure, enabling the Ministry of Justice to launch and develop integrated platforms such as Najiz, which has become the unified portal for electronic judicial services. The COVID-19 pandemic posed a true test to this infrastructure, as the Saudi judicial system demonstrated its ability to adapt quickly and ensure the continuity of judicial proceedings without interruption by fully implementing remote litigation, thus accelerating the planned transformation.

The importance of the achievement and its expected impact

The shift towards e-litigation is of paramount importance on multiple levels. Locally, this system facilitates access to justice for citizens and residents, saving them the time, effort, and costs associated with physically attending court. It also contributes to expediting case resolution and reducing the administrative burden on the courts. Regionally and internationally, this achievement positions Saudi Arabia among the leading countries in the field of digital justice and enhances its attractiveness as a destination for foreign direct investment, as an efficient, transparent, and predictable judicial system is one of the most important factors that international investors seek.

The role of specialized centers and the future of justice

Minister Al-Samaani highlighted the pivotal role of specialized centers, such as the Case Preparation Center, which is a key enabler of this success. Its specialized legal expertise contributed to the execution of over 380,000 cases last year, a 39% increase compared to the previous year, by preparing preliminary case studies and drafting applications to support the litigation process. His Excellency affirmed that the Ministry is committed to continuously developing its judicial system by focusing on innovative concepts such as preventative justice, leveraging artificial intelligence technologies, and integrating roles within the system, ultimately aiming for a more flexible and proactive judicial system that keeps pace with societal development and supports its stability and growth.