Bill 02.23 on civil procedure, which includes a number of innovations, the most important of which is the digitalization of judicial procedures, aims to keep pace with the many changes in the judiciary and the public prosecutor’s office, as well as the laws governing them, Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi said on Thursday.
Speaking on the Moroccan television channel Al Aoula, the minister said that the draft law approved by the Government Council includes the revision of 400 articles of the Code of Civil Procedure and the addition of 145 new articles, as well as the integration of 45 others, in a process that involved all stakeholders in the judiciary, the Presidency of the Public Prosecution, lawyers and judges, as well as the head of the government, who made several proposals and gave his opinion on the matter in coordination with the General Secretariat of the Government.
Ouahbi pointed out that the draft law simplifies time-consuming procedures such as registered mail, eliminates a number of procedures deemed superfluous, and adds several procedures to facilitate access to justice.
“We have decided that 2024 will be the year of digitalization. We will make sure that we digitize all cases and update the lawyers’ platform to make navigation easier,” Ouahbi assured, adding that under the new law, “it is no longer necessary for the lawyer to go to court every day.”
With regard to speeding up legal procedures, the minister pointed to the adoption of measures such as the digitalization of the notification of decisions and their enforcement, noting that “lawyers can now interact with the court through a platform dedicated to lawyers.”
Ouahbi noted that electronic exchange would facilitate several procedures, highlighting the possibility of a single session and the use of electronic addresses for public bodies.
Regarding notification and enforcement, Ouahbi stressed that “the address on the electronic national ID card is considered a commitment and recognition, making it the legal address that guarantees the accuracy of notifications of a decision.”
Digitization, which optimizes time, effectively combats corruption and slowness, thus increasing the efficiency of procedures, he explained, announcing the creation of a national platform that includes all enforcement files.
The draft law on civil procedure aims to revise the Code of Civil Procedure to reflect current social and economic dynamics, while meeting the needs of litigants and other actors in the judicial environment, in accordance with the Royal Will.
The draft is also in line with the provisions of the Kingdom’s Constitution of July 2011, which gives priority to the right to a fair trial, the protection of the rights of the defense, the right to a judgment within a reasonable time, while emphasizing transparency, the motivation of judgments and their enforceability.