Free access to justice at the beginning of the 21st century

Abstract

Free access to justice represents the procedural principle with universal value and at this moment we can say that it is the foundation of the organization of any democratic judicial system. Consecrated for the first time in the content of art. 8 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, this principle was later included in the content of all international or union acts, or in national constitutions that promote democratic principles and promote people”s fundamental rights and freedoms. Moreover, the principle of the access to justice paved the way for the consolidation of judicial guarantees, being one of the most important guarantees that the state must offer to any parson who addresses the justice system. Therefore, free access to justice has an intersting developement in almost all judicial system of states that respect democratic values. In this sense, the present study aims to highlight, on the one hand, the ECtHR”s perceprion of this principle and, on the other hand, the impact of the digititalization of judicial procedures on free access to justice.