How do supreme courts communicate? Analysis of the efficiency and transparency of communication in the Slovak judiciary GUK

About the project

GUK 2026

How do supreme courts communicate? Analysis of the efficiency and transparency of communication in the Slovak judiciary

Number of the project: UK/1242/2026

Principal Investigator: Mgr. Emma Humeňanská

 

Proactive and transparent communication by courts is considered one of the most effective means to enhance perceived legitimacy and trust in the judiciary. Publication of court decisions and statements by court spokespersons is the primary foundation for upholding the principle of open justice. Based on these, a new approach of providing information is being developed using informal tools that enable courts to maintain direct interaction with the public. In the Slovak context, these tools include court websites, press releases, social networks, as well as the presence of judges in the media. These instruments of court communication have not yet been the subject of legal research in Slovakia. Therefore, the main objective of the project is to analyze the content and form of informal communication tools used by the highest judicial authorities in Slovakia. The secondary aim is on the basis of quantitative and qualitative content analysis to provide a comparison of the communication of the highest judicial authorities, and subsequently, on positive examples from Slovak and Czech practice, to propose how communication tools could be used more effectively. At the theoretical level, the project seeks to initiate a discussion on strengthening trust and legitimacy through court communication. At the practical level, its application would involve formulating recommendations to incorporate examples of good practice into court communication strategies.