The public has noticed that the courts did not like the merger of four county courts. It would have been reasonable, but it is only a small part of the judicial reform. Now the merger of county courts is being abandoned.
The biggest change in the judicial reform is the management of courts. Previously, courts were managed by the ministry, now they will manage themselves. This makes the courts more independent.
Court administration was previously handled by the ministry. Now the courts will take over their own administration. This is similar to the relocation of the Ministry of Education to Tartu. Court administration will move to Tartu.
Pakosta also spoke about the specialization of judges. The world is becoming more complex, and specialization is necessary. Specialized judges know their field well. For example, judges dealing with domestic violence or environmental law. They make decisions faster and better.
The goal of the judicial reform is to speed up court decisions. Currently, court proceedings have become longer, but costs have increased. The reform will bring faster and better decisions.
The plan for the judicial reform is that the parliament will pass the draft in the summer. Then there will be half a year for preparations. From January 1, 2027, an independent and more autonomous court will start operating.