Justice minister Ivo Opstelten wants to reduce the amount of paper involved in court cases by introducing increased digitalisation of documents.

Allowing the use of digital documents will enable people and companies to communicate directly with judges, the minister said. He plans to start the shift in 2015.

Digitalisation will also reduce the amount of time judges and court clerks have to spend on bureaucracy, Opstelten said.

Rotterdam and Den Bosch cantonal courts will this year begin experiments with digitalised court documents and bailiffs will also be allowed to submit claims electronically.

Opstelten also plans to streamline some lower court proceedings.’