Finland to Record All Lower-Court Witness Testimony on Video Starting October

A new judicial reform in Finland mandates video recording of all witness examinations in district courts, with implementation beginning for cases that start in October. Approximately three hundred courtrooms have already installed recording equipment, and similar cameras exist in appellate and supreme courts, though they will be used sparingly. If a decision is appealed, the appellate court can review the recorded testimony instead of recalling witnesses, except in exceptional circumstances.

The change is intended to prevent the years-long repetitions that have plagued appeals, saving time for participants and the justice system while lowering expenses. According to appellate court judge Jukka Loiva, the appellate courts should function as reviewers of district-court rulings, not as venues for re-hearing the same evidence. Recordings remain within the court’s control and are destroyed thirty days after a judgment becomes final.