The Functioning of Courts in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Primer
The functioning of courts in the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has created considerable challenges for the functioning of courts during states of emergency, curfews and lockdowns. Yet, courts have a vital function during and after the pandemic, in particular to ensure judicial scrutiny of emergency legislation and to provide an effective remedy against excessive emergency measures in individual cases. This report, in the form of a primer, seeks to provide guidance while recognizing that, in light of the complexities of the issues and the "experimental” nature of measures taken during this emergency, their impact cannot yet be fully assessed.
The views, opinions, conclusions and other information expressed in this document are not given nor necessarily endorsed by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) unless the OSCE is explicitly defined as the Author of this document.