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Courts to Inform Via Text Messages

People looking for information on court proceedings will soon be able to receive information via e-mail or even cell phone text messages, the head of the Supreme Court's judicial department said, RIA-Novosti reported.

Alexander Gusev did not elaborate on when courts would begin to send out text messages or what the messages would cover, but said the move would help people who could not attend court hearings.

The move, which is to cover courts of general jurisdiction, will be implemented as part of the digitalization of the country's judicial system, Gusev said. Closed trials will not be included.

Court cases will be paper-free in the future, using electronic documents and video recordings of the proceedings, he said. About 160 million old cases reviewed by courts of general jurisdiction will be scanned and put online, freeing up some 300,000 square meters of real estate, Gusev said.

Moreover, district courts and magistrates will review cases via video conference calls to save time for participants, though implementing this will require amendments to current legislation, Gusev said.

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