- Talhouni: Digital mailbox, remote trials and greater legal weight for digital documents among key amendments Amman, Sept. 27 (Petra) -- Minister of Justice Bassam Talhouni said the Cabinet approved at its session on Sunday the 2026 amended regulation governing the use of electronic means in civil judicial procedures as part of ongoing efforts to develop the justice system and advance digital transformation.

Talhouni said the amendments are in line with the state’s drive to modernize public administration and expand digital services by establishing a more flexible legal framework for the use of electronic means at various stages of litigation, while maintaining legal safeguards and procedural rights for all parties to a case.

One of the key amendments, Talhouni said, is the introduction of a "digital mailbox" as a new approved electronic means for judicial procedures. The amendments include a separate definition of the digital mailbox as a digital address created for an individual and linked to their digital identity, which is used to receive electronic notifications, notices, and their attachments in accordance with applicable legislation.

He said the introduction of the digital mailbox would shift the system from simply using multiple electronic means to an official digital address linked to an individual’s digital identity, providing a more structured and reliable framework for electronic judicial notification.

The amendments also recognize the digital mailbox as a means of judicial notification alongside other electronic means, allowing it to be used to deliver judicial notices, electronic notifications, and related attachments. This is expected to speed up notification procedures, reduce time and effort, and facilitate access by litigants to relevant information and documents.

Talhouni stressed that the amendment is not limited to the technical aspects of the digital mailbox but also regulates the legal effect of electronic notification. The notification will produce its legal effects once its completion can be verified through electronic records and data extracted from approved systems, strengthening the reliability of notification procedures and providing an electronic basis for verifying that notification has taken place.

The amendments also broaden the scope of electronic means used in judicial procedures to include interoperability with databases operated by official bodies and government digital platforms, audio-visual communication tools, and any other electronic means approved by the Ministry of Justice in accordance with applicable legislation.

The amendments further regulate the conduct of court hearings using electronic means by establishing detailed safeguards for verifying the identities of participants and the integrity of proceedings, ensuring the proper conduct of trials while preserving the procedural rights and legal safeguards of all parties.

Regarding electronic documents and data, Talhouni said the amendments strengthen the legal evidentiary value of electronic data, records, and documents extracted from systems approved by the Ministry of Justice, provided their integrity and authenticity can be verified. This supports reliance on digital documents in judicial work and strengthens confidence in electronic procedures, while abolishing the requirement to submit paper originals of documents filed electronically.

On data protection and information security, Talhouni said the amendments emphasize the need to safeguard the security and confidentiality of data in accordance with applicable legislation, keep pace with digital transformation requirements, and protect the integrity of information exchanged through electronic systems.

He added that the amendments also develop the institutional framework overseeing implementation of the regulation by updating the composition of the relevant committee and including the Cybersecurity Unit in its work, strengthening the technical and security aspects associated with the use of electronic means in judicial procedures.

Talhouni stressed that the amendments form part of an integrated effort to modernize the justice system. They are not limited to introducing new technological tools but seek to establish a comprehensive legal framework governing the use of technology in judicial work while ensuring the reliability and legal and technical integrity of electronic procedures.

The minister said the Ministry of Justice would continue developing judicial services and procedures to achieve greater speed and efficiency, facilitate access to justice for citizens and litigants, and reduce the time, effort, and costs associated with procedures, while safeguarding litigants’ rights and the legal protections afforded to them.

//Petra// AF