MINISTRY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS Costa Rica’s legal system is also implementing a comprehensive electronic justice portal offering diverse online legal services.30 These include institutional audits and records available publically, missing persons, the most-wanted list, convicted fugitives’ reports and literature on national statutes and laws. The portal also allows citizens to present police reports, pay for legal services and request legal consultation within the country’s Court Circuit. At least nineteen courts have the capacity to receive online requests for consults. With these services, the judicial system has the objective of creating a more transparent and simple process for citizens searching legal assistance. As regards the taking of evidence, the Judicial Power has jurisdictional authority, in conformity to article 24 of Act N° 7425, “Act Concerning Search, Seizure and Examination of Private Documents and Interception of Communications" 31 to intervene in any communication, oral, written or other type, including fixed, mobile, wireless and digital telecommunications. This aspect is quite important since electronic evidence implies both security and privacy elements. With the increase in the number of cases of digital evidence, the interoperability within the judicial system should be taken into account to decide on these, and thus guarantee their safety and integrity. In addition and in the interest of making judicial information known, the Judicial Power carries out this process taking as reference what’s established by Act Nº 8968 “Act on Protection of Individuals with regard to the Processing of Personal Data” and the document Minimum Rules for Disclosure of Judicial Information on the Internet where they implement the best practices to find balance between privacy and transparency at the moment of making judicial data available to the public32. 30 Judicial Power of the Republic of Costa Rica Web site. [Online]. Available at: http://www.poder-judicial.go.cr/ Act Concerning Search, Seizure and Examination of Private Documents and Interception of Communications. Nº 7425. Diario Oficial La Gaceta de la República de Costa Rica, Augus t 09 of 1994. Available at: http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_texto_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC&nValor1=1&n Valor2=16466&nValor3=17615&param2=1&strTipM=TC&lResultado=3&strSim=simp 32 Heredia’s rules: Minimum rules for the Disclosure of Judicial Information o n the Internet, Seminar on Internet & JudicialSystem, Heredia,July 09 of 2003. [Online]. Available at: http://www.iijusticia.edu.ar/heredia/Heredia_Rules.htm 31 - 30 www.micitt.go.cr

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