Law digitizes courts, reforms civil service, local councils and philanthropy

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The Justice Administration must provide its services digitally throughout the country, guaranteeing interoperability between courts and prosecutor's offices, citizen access, and electronic signature in remote proceedings.
2. It creates Carpeta Justicia, a personalized service where each person can check their case files, view and sign court notifications, request appointments, and submit suggestions or complaints.
3. Court proceedings will preferably be held by videoconference from secure access points, though exceptions remain: for example, the defendant must be physically present in trials for serious crimes and jury trials.
4. Court processing becomes data-oriented, and automated, proactive and assisted actions are regulated; these generate drafts that always require validation by a judge, prosecutor or court clerk.
5. In the civil service, it establishes strategic human resources planning, mandatory performance evaluations and horizontal career progression, with a new career allowance that pays for progression through stages without changing positions.
6. It regulates the figure of the professional public manager, appointed by free designation, with a maximum five-year renewable term and specific grounds for removal.
7. City councils must create an internet portal for citizen participation and plans to digitize services, and collaborative management is allowed in municipalities with fewer than 20,000 residents.
8. Tax incentives for philanthropy increase: the general deduction rises from 35 to 40 percent, micro-donations expand from 150 to 250 euros, and the limit on the tax base rises from 10 to 15 percent.

Who it affects

• Citizens who go to court: They can use Carpeta Justicia to check case files, receive notifications and request appointments, and proceedings will preferably be held by videoconference.
• Lawyers, court representatives and social graduates: They must interact electronically and are entitled to digital disconnection and work-life balance.
• Civil servants of the State Administration: They are affected by mandatory performance evaluations, horizontal career progression with stages, and new rules for managers.
• City councils and residents: Municipalities must digitize their services and create a citizen participation portal; small municipalities may use collaborative management.
• Donors and non-profit entities: Tax deductions for donations increase, and new ways to collaborate are made easier, such as lending goods or providing services.

Words worth knowing

Real decreto-ley (royal decree-law)

A rule with the rank of law that the Government can pass urgently, without going through the full ordinary parliamentary process first.

Sede judicial electrónica (electronic court office)

Official internet address for dealing with the courts: filing documents, checking case files or receiving notifications.

Carrera horizontal (horizontal career)

Career progression for civil servants through stages, without needing to change job positions.

Mecenazgo (philanthropy/patronage)

Private financial support, such as donations, for activities of general interest like culture, research or social action.

Punto de acceso seguro (secure access point)

A device or system meeting technical requirements to take part in court hearings by videoconference with full legal effect.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries