REMOTE COURT HEARINGS IN POLISH JUDICIAL CIVIL PROCEEDINGS – MANIFESTATION OF JUSTICE OR AFTERMATH OF THE EPIDEMIC?

Legislative changes introduced in Poland are undermining the principle of open justice in civil proceedings, having brought multiple related restrictions and exceptions. Computerising court hearings remains another challenge to open justice-related issues. Notwi-thstanding the above, having met the demands of many years for the comprehensive implemen-tation of online communication in civil proceedings, regulations enacted in connection with the epidemic ought to be viewed as positive. The introduced solution allows public hearings to be conducted with the use of technological appliances supporting remote proceedings with simul-taneous and direct audio-video transmission, while not requiring any participants, including ju-dicial panel members, to be present on court premises. The COVID-19 epidemic seems to have brought permanent change to operational functions of justice