Effects of investment in information and communication technologies on productivity of courts in Brazil

The adoption of new information and communication technologies (ICT) has been one of the main strategies used by organizations of the Brazilian Judiciary in the search for solutions to the major challenges they face, such as limited access to justice services, high levels of congestion in courts and delays in the adjudication of lawsuits. However, empirical studies showing the results of this strategy are limited. The present study seeks to fill this gap. The objective is to identify and explain the effects of investment in information and communication technologies on productivity of courts in Brazil. In addition to the direct relationship between technology and judicial performance, we investigate the mediating and moderating effects of technology on other drivers of judicial performance. Official data were collected from the Justice in Numbers database of the National Justice Council. Secondary data refer to all state, federal and labor courts in the country, and cover a seven-year period, from 2009 to 2015. Panel data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and conditional analysis. The results confirm four of the five hypotheses, indicating that ICT investment has a direct and positive effect on court productivity, as well as mediating and moderating the effect of other variables on productivity. However, contrary to expectations, investment in ICT does not moderate the relationship between court caseload and productivity; although weak, the observed relationship was negative. Explanations for the findings are presented in the article.