Meeting of the SATURN Centre for judicial time management in Strasbourg in April 2018After having worked since its creation on timeframes of proceedings, the CEPEJ has set up in 2007 a Centre for judicial time management (SATURN Centre - Study and Analysis of judicial Time Use Research Network).

The SATURN Centre is instructed to collect information necessary for the knowledge of judicial timeframes in the member States and detailed enough to enable member states to implement policies aiming to prevent violations of the right for a fair trial within a reasonable time protected by Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Centre is aimed to become progressively a genuine European observatory of judicial timeframes, by analysing the situation of existing timeframes in the member States (timeframes per types of cases, waiting times in the proceedings, etc.), providing them knowledge and analytical tools of judicial timeframes of proceedings. It is also in charge of the promotion and assessment of the Guidelines for judicial time management.

The Centre is managed through a Steering group, which works in particular for collecting, processing and analysing the relevant information on judicial timeframes in a representative sample of courts in the member states by relying on the network of pilot courts. Thus it must define and improve measuring systems and common indicators on judicial timeframes in all member states and develop appropriate modalities and tools for collecting information through statistical analysis.

By Resolution Nº 1 on a modern, transparent and efficient justice, the Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe's member States, during their meeting in Istanbul at the occasion of their 30th Conference (24-26 November 2010), "invited the Committee of Ministers to build on the work of the SATURN centre within CEPEJ, further developing its capacity to acquire better knowledge of the time required for judicial proceedings in the member States, with a view to developing tools to enable the member States to better meet their obligations under Article 6 of the ECHR regarding the right to a fair trial within a reasonable time".

Call for comments – Developments in the member States of practices in terms of judicial time management

The comments and implementation examples contained in the CEPEJ SATURN guidelines for judicial time management evolving in parallel with court practices in the Council of Europe member States, the CEPEJ Secretariat renews its call for comments by its members and representatives of pilot courts. The comments, additions or modifications can be done at any moment by contacting the Secretariat: cepej [at] coe.int

SATURN Centre

Guidelines, checklists, implementation guides and handbooks

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headline Barcelona (Spain) 2 and 4 October 2019
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Managing judicial timeframes: the SATURN Centre is developing new tools for courts

In order to facilitate and standardise the management of judicial timeframes in Europe, the CEPEJ Working Group on judicial time management (SATURN Centre) is developing a number of practical tools for legal professionals and courts. At its 26th meeting, on 2nd and 4th October 2019, in Barcelona (Spain), the members of the SATURN Centre will discuss in particular the possible updating of the Implementation Guide of European timeframes for judicial proceedings in the light of new data collected from the CEPEJ's pilot courts and will finalise a document aimed at defining criteria and a methodology for case weighting brought or pending before a court. The role of parties and practitioners in preventing delays in court proceedings, as well as the preparation of dashboards templates for court management, will also be at the centre of the Group's work. The Group will also consider a document prepared by the scientific expert Jon. T. Johnsen (Norway) on the management of judicial time regulations for criminal cases refering to Articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights. The members of the Group will also participate in the 14th plenary meeting of the pilot courts, which will take place on 3 October 2019, in order to ensure synergy between the tools developed by the Centre and their implementation as well as the specific needs of the courts.