Challenges in the Digital Transformation of Courts: A Case Study from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

The existence of the emerging technologies in the justice domain brought out new opportunities for courts towards better case administration, extended availability, improved service delivery, and enhanced transparency in the daily processes. However, the practical implementation of such e-solution could encounter several issues and challenges. This paper examines the current challenges raised during the implementation of the e-court system in the Sulaimaniyah Appellate Court in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This research employs a qualitative approach. We use three sources of data based on expert interviews of different stakeholders in the appellate court, personal observation by two of the authors in-site the project, and supported by analyzing current relevant literature. The outcome of this study summarizes numerous challenges in the e-court system implementation. The study presents critical points for decisionmakers towards addressing challenges for future consideration in order to eliminate barriers to success.