TL;DR:
- Kuwait’s Ministry of Justice is weeks away from a full
digital transformation of its services, aiming to cut bureaucracy, enhance access, and accelerate judicial processes for all residents and citizens. - The rollout, backed by partnerships with
Google and Microsoft will cover case filing, notifications, fee payments, court procedures, and rapid enforcement of judgments through a comprehensive digital platform. - Early digital adoption has already seen millions of transactions completed via apps, and officials are focusing on fixing service bottlenecks, ensuring inclusive access, and maintaining high quality during this nationwide shift.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Justice, led by Minister Nasser Al-Sumait, is in the final stages of enacting sweeping reforms to fully digitize its judicial and legal services. This bold transition is set to transform how citizens, residents, lawyers, and court staff interact with one of the country’s most vital institutions. The initiative is being implemented under the guidance of Kuwait’s leadership, directly responding to calls from His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to speed up judicial processes and guarantee broad, fair access to justice.
What will change? Key phases and services
A. End-to-End Digital Services
Electronic Filing : All cases will be filed electronically, with seamless upload of documents, case registration, and fee payment,eliminating paperwork and in-person queues.
- Virtual Notifications: Parties in legal cases will receive automatic, real-time updates via email, SMS, and dedicated apps, including new e-notification systems in the Sahel platform.
- Online Fee Payments: Litigants can pay court and legal fees through secure digital channels, increasing transparency and convenience.
B. Streamlining Litigation
- Speeding Up Court Procedures: Digitized workflows and
case management are designed to tackle chronic delays, ensuring that cases move more quickly through various stages to resolution.
- Immediate Enforcement of Judgments: A new system will guarantee that court rulings are executed as soon as they are issued, closing the longstanding gap between verdict and real-world enforcement.
C. Continuous Improvement and Feedback
- Officials are prioritizing feedback from court users, staff, and lawyers, using regular inspections and consultations to identify pain points and drive ongoing service improvements.
To guarantee world-class standards, the Justice Ministry’s digital infrastructure is being built in partnership with leading global technology firms Google and Microsoft. These industry leaders are providing the systems and tools needed for Kuwait’s large-scale digital judicial overhaul, supporting cybersecurity, user privacy, and reliable 24/7 services.
Performance and early results
- The Ministry completed over 1.7 million digital transactions via the
Sahel app in the first half of 2025, a 40% jump from the same period in 2024, reported by Al Rai Daily.
- Digital payments for judicial services hit 17 million Kuwaiti dinars, more than doubling in a year.
- Over 4 million electronic notifications were sent in the first half of 2025, evidencing both widespread adoption and strong public trust in the system.
- The Ministry has already introduced digital solutions for internal staff, such as leave requests and human resources, fully eliminating paper-based processes for employees.
Focus areas moving forward
- Eliminating Bureaucracy: Every Ministry service is targeting online-first delivery, reducing unnecessary paperwork, administrative layers, and physical visits.
- Process Transparency: Integrated digital case tracking and instant status updates aim to reassure users and improve their experience.
- Access for All: Ongoing efforts are being made to address digital literacy gaps, ensure multilingual support, and provide alternatives for users not able to access online systems.
- Operational Excellence: The focus is as much on the quality of service, timeliness, clarity, and fairness as on digital availability.
Structural and organizational context
The digitization drive comes alongside a broader national effort to modernize Kuwait’s entire public sector (per the Kuwait National Development Plan/Vision 2035), boost government efficiency, and increase international confidence in the country’s institutions. The new Justice Palace, a landmark judicial complex will serve as the physical and digital hub for these transformations, combining architectural excellence with next-generation IT systems.Kuwait’s Ministry of Justice is setting a national benchmark for electronic governance by rolling out a comprehensive, digital-first justice system. With strategic technology partnerships, record user engagement, and a clear commitment to both speed and accountability, the Ministry’s transformation is expected not only to meet current demand but also to lay a foundation for a nimble, responsive, and trusted legal environment for decades to come. Officials emphasize that regular feedback, vigilant oversight, and public transparency will remain central as the transition becomes fully operational in the coming weeks.
