KUWAIT CITY, Oct 8: Kuwait’s Ministry of Justice announced Tuesday that a draft decree-law amending provisions of the Criminal Procedures Law to introduce an electronic "Penal Order System" marks a significant step toward transitioning to electronic justice. The Cabinet approved the draft during its weekly meeting.

The new system will allow courts to issue rulings in minor cases—such as misdemeanors and violations—entirely through digital means, from receiving requests to deliberations and issuing rulings, significantly speeding up case adjudication and reducing burdens on courts and litigants.

The Ministry explained that the "penal order" is a judicial decision imposing fines without the need for a public trial or witness hearings, relying solely on the study of case documents. Judges will issue summary rulings without traditional trial sessions, eliminating the need to handle approximately six million accumulated paper files, many of which have become outdated over the years.

Described as a qualitative shift toward a fully integrated electronic judicial system, the draft decree will accelerate justice, reduce paperwork, and save judicial resources. It also mandates full electronic documentation of penal orders, enhancing transparency and reducing errors or delays.

The decree aligns Kuwait with international trends in digital judicial systems and includes regulations for managing illegally seized items, specifying storage durations and authorities responsible for their destruction if no longer needed for investigations or rulings.

The Cabinet’s approval of the draft law amending the Criminal Procedures and Trials Law No. 17 of 1960 underscores Kuwait’s commitment to judicial modernization and digital transformation.