Judicial digitalization, AI tools, and legal aid centres increase transparency and support environmental governance. ESG BROADCAST shares key takeaways.
Azerbaijan has achieved substantial progress in modernizing its judicial infrastructure and expanding digital access to legal services under the World Bank-supported Judicial Services and Smart Infrastructure Project. Launched in 2014, the initiative aimed to overhaul outdated court systems and address long-standing structural inefficiencies in the country’s justice delivery. As of 2024, the ten-year reform program has helped reduce case processing times, enhanced citizen satisfaction, and expanded access to justice, particularly for vulnerable populations.
The project constructed 12 new court complexes across six jurisdictions, integrating inclusive design standards and smart infrastructure. Two Tier 3-certified data centres now provide secure digital storage for judicial information, while the nationwide rollout of the e-court system has streamlined court operations. Where traditional courts once took 187 days to process a case, new digital courts now average just 119 days.
The e-court platform supports automated case management, electronic filing, and mandatory audio-video recording of hearings—particularly in commercial cases. This has significantly improved procedural consistency and transparency. Since the full implementation of e-court in 2023, judges can handle three times more cases than before.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Business Intelligence (BI) tools were also piloted under the project to enhance service delivery and internal monitoring. AI-supported dashboards with heat maps and performance indicators allow judicial authorities to quickly identify backlogs and operational inefficiencies. These innovations have increased responsiveness, while reducing burdens on court staff.
To promote inclusive justice, more than 70,000 citizens have accessed free legal aid services, with particular outreach through Women’s Resource Centers in 14 regions. These centres have played a pivotal role in ensuring legal support reaches marginalised and low-income groups. According to recent court user surveys, satisfaction with judicial services reached 69.3% among citizens and 77% among professional users, compared to just 44.6% and 49% at the start of the project.
The reforms were implemented through multi-agency coordination involving the Judicial-Legal Council, Ministry of Justice, and international partners such as the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union. The World Bank contributed $150 million in financing to the project, including a $50 million extension in 2020 to deepen digital transformation.
Strategic significance lies in Azerbaijan’s ability to integrate digital justice reforms with broader environmental governance and economic modernization goals. The success of the e-court platform not only supports faster case resolution but also enhances trust in public institutions—key to promoting responsible business and legal certainty for private sector development.
ESG BROADCAST will continue monitoring the updates related to this topic. Stay tuned to be updated on the related policy and pivotal regulatory shift.
