Using Digital Technologies in Criminal Cases in Court: Reality and Prospects

The paper deals with topical issues related to the use of digital technologies in criminal proceedings. The author presents the directions of digitization of the court and the principles of using artificial intelligence, formulated by the bodies of the Council of Europe. The stages of the emergence of individual digital technologies first in the work of arbitration courts, and later — courts of general jurisdiction are shown. Existing and promising digital technologies are considered as the criminal case moves, after its submission in court from the Prosecutor. Considerable attention is given to the order of formation of the court for the consideration of a particular criminal case. The author analyzes the difficulties encountered in the use of an automated information system in this matter, and proposes ways to resolve them. The author considers it necessary to use e-mail to call victims, witnesses and other participants in the proceedings, for which he proposes to make appropriate changes to the current procedural legislation. The article reveals the current procedure and prospects for the use of video conferencing systems, audio and video recording of the trial in the criminal process. The author reports on the experimental development of speech recognition programs for participants in the trial. Special attention is given to the achievements in the implementation of digital technologies in the Moscow courts, implemented in the course of the international project «Support for judicial reform». In this regard, the author describes the creation of electronic copies of traditional «paper» cases in the courts of Moscow, making the proceedings more open.