Online processing of cases and e-communication with courts

1 Is it possible to initiate court proceedings via the internet?

In Latvia there is no special framework for initiating proceedings and bringing civil actions using the internet. There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

Electronic documents may be sent via the internet.

2 If so, for what types of cases is it available? Are any proceedings available exclusively via the internet?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

3 Is the facility available at all times (i.e. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) or just during specific hours? If so, what are those hours?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

4 Should the details of the claim be provided in any particular format?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

5 How is transmission and storage of data secured?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

6 Is it necessary to use any kind of electronic signature and/or time record?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

7 Are court fees payable? If so, how can they be paid and are they different to those for non-electronic procedures?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

8 Is it possible to withdraw a claim that has been initiated via the internet?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

9 If the claimant initiates proceedings via the internet is it possible and/or compulsory for the defendant to respond using the internet as well?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

10 In terms of the electronic procedure what happens if the defendant responds to the claim?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

11 In terms of the electronic procedure what happens if the defendant does not respond to a claim?

There is no special automated procedure or website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment.

12 Is it possible to submit documents to a court electronically and if so in what type of proceedings and under what conditions is it possible?

It is possible to send electronic documents in Latvia.

Pursuant to Directive 1999/93/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 1999 on a Community framework for electronic signatures, courts are obliged to accept electronically signed documents.

The domestic Latvian legislation concerning electronic documents, the Electronic Documents Law, states that for the purposes of authentication electronic documents must give document authentication data and the signatory’s identity; furthermore, for a document to be deemed to have been signed by the relevant person, it has to be signed with a secure electronic signature. When using electronic documents, data security is ensured by the providers of secure electronic signature services in accordance with the provisions of the Electronic Documents Law and the rules regarding personal data protection in Latvia. A person has to give special consent for correspondence with a court using an electronic signature. This means that the court will send documents it has drawn up in electronic form.

It should be added that claims of any kind may be brought using documents certified with a secure electronic signature except where the law lays down a special procedure for initiating proceedings. The procedure for the exchange of electronic documents does not apply to certain types of contract relating to real estate, family and inheritance law, and certain types of guarantee contracts.

Legislation sometimes specifies that in addition to the other requisites a particular document acquires legal effect only if a seal is affixed: in the case of an electronic document this requirement is fulfilled if the electronic document has a secure electronic signature and time‑stamp, or an electronic signature alone if the parties have agreed in writing that electronic documents may be signed with an electronic signature in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Electronic Documents Law.

13 Can judicial documents, and particularly judgments, be served via the internet?

There is no special website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment using a uniform process.

Court documents may be served electronically if the applicant has indicated in the application that he or she is prepared to use electronic mail as well as other mail for correspondence with the court.

14 Can judicial decisions be given electronically?

Court documents, including judgments, may be served electronically if the applicant has indicated in the application that he or she is prepared to use electronic mail as well as other mail for correspondence with the court.

15 Can an appeal be made and its decision served via the internet?

There is no special website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment using a uniform process.

A person has to give special consent for correspondence with a court using an electronic signature. This means that the court will send documents it has drawn up in electronic form.

16 Is it possible to initiate enforcement proceedings via the internet?

There is no special website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment using a uniform process.

A person may use electronically signed documents for correspondence with a bailiff.

17 Can the parties or their legal representatives consult on-line cases? If so, how this can be done?

There is no special website envisaged for the performance of such procedures in the electronic environment using a uniform process. It is possible to follow the progress of a case using the courts portal on the internet, which offers the information that is publicly available.

Parties to a case may listen to an audio recording of the court hearing via the courts portal https://tiesas.lv, section Manas lietas (‘My cases’), provided the court has entered the audio file into the court information system: when files have been entered into the court information system, and the data is synchronised, they are transferred to the data distribution mechanism on the portal https://tiesas.lv once every 24 hours. Once a user is registered on the portal they may access information only on those cases for which they are registered as a party, and in such cases they can open and listen to the audio project files added to the documents in the case. A party to a case may access the Manas lietas (‘My cases’) section in the portal https://tiesas.lv using an e-signature or an electronic identity card, or by sending an application to the Courts Office (Tiesu administrācija) asking to be granted access rights.