Recognition of the Digital Divide to Guarantee Effective Access of the Administration of Civil Justice

Abstract

This reflective article is intended to demonstrate the limitations in effective access to the administration of justice mediated by information technologies, paying special attention to the legal advances and challenges of the last decade. It aims to determine whether the technological tools currently intended for actions in civil jurisdiction facilitate access to justice or increase the digital divide among people who are in vulnerable conditions. Likewise, a comparative exercise was conducted to study the implementation of digital justice in civil jurisdiction in Germany and Mexico, in order to gain an understanding of the state of information technology implementation in other countries. To achieve this, a qualitative-systematic method of information search was used, guided by documentary review and inquiries into primary and secondary sources. This approach resulted in a descriptive analysis of the gathered information. In conclusion, a comprehensive understanding of the Colombian context and the laws governing these new actions mediated by information technologies was achieved. This analysis revealed a clear and explicit relationship between the digital divide in Colombian households and the effective access to justice in civil jurisdiction within the country.