e-Trials
- Introduction
- Electronic Courtrooms
- Electronic Litigation
The Electronic Case Filing System (ECFS, http://ecfs.scourt.go.kr) is the Korean Judiciary’s electronic litigation system. It is a comprehensive system that allows litigants and their attorneys to file and manage cases, as well as access court information and procedures electronically. They are able to file all court documents, documentary evidence and digital evidence over the Internet without physically visiting the courts. After filing a case via ECFS, the plaintiffs/petitioners receive e-mail and text message notifications when the other parties submit documents to the court. If the defendants/respondents consent to e-filing, they may also receive electronic notices of the other parties’ filings. Such notice, in conjunction with access to case records and procedures electronically, allows all parties using ECFS to promptly check the current status of the proceedings.
In addition to litigant access, the computerized case management program of ECFS also allows judges and court officials to manage cases much more efficiently by viewing electronic case records and checking case statuses in a speedy manner. ECFS opened a new chapter of electronic litigation by replacing the already-existing paper-based litigation. Judges are able to conduct paperless hearings because all the electronic case files, including documents, are retrieved from central databases and viewed on monitors and larger screens in courtrooms.
Due to privacy and security reasons, access to electronic case files is available to litigants and their attorneys but not to the public. However, the online judgment search service for the decisions of the Supreme Court as well as the lower courts’ opinions is accessible to the public.
Litigants and their attorneys may electronically file documents and evidence for certain types of cases on the ECFS website. They can also access case records and procedural information and search for legal information, such as the Supreme Court’s decisions, articles or news regarding the law. In addition, ECFS provides the parties with several stable and convenient services connected with the electronic services of financial institutions, registration offices and other public institutions involved with litigation-related matters.
Judges and court officials may manage cases for electronic litigation by efficiently scheduling and preparing for hearings through ECFS.
The electronic courtrooms (e-courtrooms) are crucial to the electronic courts (e-courts). The Korean Judiciary has placed strategic priority on establishing e-courtrooms in the courts nationwide. The salient features of e-courtrooms are as follows:
E-courtrooms provide judges with the same type of computer network environment as the judges’ chambers. The Internet and all court programs and systems for trials are accessible through computers at the bench in these e-courtrooms, as well as in the judges’ chambers.
E-courtrooms support efficient oral arguments/pleadings.
They are well equipped with electronic technologies and devices, including computers, digital visual presenters and DVD players. Both parties and witnesses may easily use these devices during the trial. This creates efficient oral arguments/pleadings and enables the audience in the e-courtroom to better understand the ongoing trial.
E-courtrooms serve to improve transparency and accessibility in trial proceedings.
Judges and other courtroom participants, such as the parties, attorneys for each party an the courtroom deputy, may view the stenographic records as typed by the court reporter in real-time via their computer screens. In addition, e-courtrooms are equipped with electronic devices that partially or completely record the trial proceedings with the permission of the judge.
Electronic litigation (“e-litigation”) allows litigants to file cases, receive court documents, and access case records online. By reducing the need for in-person court visits, the system minimizes time and financial costs for users while providing faster access to judicial services. In practice, e-litigation appears to function not merely as a technical convenience but as a structural adjustment to how courts interact with the public.
Since the Supreme Court of Korea first introduced e-litigation for intellectual property cases filed in the Intellectual Property High Court in April 2010, the system has expanded incrementally across jurisdictions. Civil cases were added in May 2011, followed by family and administrative cases in January 2013. Application cases became eligible in September 2013, bankruptcy and insolvency cases in April 2014, and execution cases in March 2015. As of October 2025, the Supreme Court has extended e-litigation to criminal cases, effectively enabling electronic litigation across all case types.
The e-litigation submission rate for civil cases has increased steadily over time, reaching 73.75% in 2018, 76.28% in 2019, 80.84% in 2020, 83.5% in 2021, 85.6% in 2022, and 87.2% in 2023. Submission rates for intellectual property cases are even higher, with 95% of filings submitted electronically in 2023. These figures suggest that electronic filing has moved from optional to near-standard practice in several domains of litigation.
The integration of advanced technology into Korean courtrooms has significantly transformed the legal landscape. Since its start in 2010 at the Intellectual Property High Court, more than 1,035 electronic courtrooms have been set up nationwide. These modern facilities provide real-time electronic record access and include beam projectors, overhead projectors, and large display monitors, allowing judges and all involved parties to view the screen directly in the courtroom. This has not only improved trial process efficiency but also increased transparency, marking a significant step forward in access to justice.
