Over the past decade, Portugal has embraced a comprehensive reform of its justice system to make it more inclusive and efficient. The country has continued to develop its legal framework, focusing on initiatives to make justice more accessible to people. These reforms have included extensive efforts to modernise justice services, aligning with broader international objectives of ensuring equitable access to justice. The Simplex programme, Justiça + Próxima and, more recently, the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), the Justiça + programme and the GovTech strategy are some of the strategic documents that have paved the way for reforms in the justice sector. These strategic documents reflect a vision aligned with the OECD Recommendation on Access to Justice and People-Centred Justice Systems, which supports countries in improving access to justice and establishing people-centred justice, and the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.3, which calls for all member states to “promote the rule of law at the national and international levels, and ensure equal access to justice for all”.

Portugal recognises the importance of responsive and accessible justice. In the past decade, the country has embraced a comprehensive reform towards a more inclusive and efficient justice system. As highlighted in the OECD report Justice Transformation in Portugal: Building on successes and challenges, the country has been taking active steps towards a more accessible, efficient and responsive justice system that is sensitive to the needs of people and businesses.

This chapter outlines the main takeaways of the OECD assessment of modernisation of the justice sector in Portugal and summarises key policy recommendations to help the country advance in the main areas covered in this report. OECD recommendations have been designed to support Portugal in attaining its strategic objectives of modernisation in the areas of design and delivery of justice services, skills, data and digital governance for access to justice.

This chapter provides an overview of Portugal's efforts to modernise its justice system through a people-centred approach, highlighting initiatives that aim to enhance responsiveness and accessibility. The chapter explores strategic initiatives and justice-related programmes, detailing their objectives to simplify and streamline processes, promote transparency, and improve service delivery within the justice sector. This chapter also covers the broader impact of these reforms on trust in legal institutions and discusses ongoing efforts to align Portugal's justice policies with international best practices for an accessible, equitable and efficient people-centred justice system in Portugal.

This chapter delves into legal needs in Portugal, employing a people-centred approach to understand and address these requirements comprehensively. The chapter outlines the methodology and findings of recent legal needs surveys (LNS) conducted in the country. It discusses some of the main strengths, gaps and implications of unmet legal needs. It examines the types of legal problems most commonly reported, and the broader social impacts of these unresolved issues. Additionally, the chapter explores the strategic use of LNS to inform policy and improve access to justice, highlighting the role of such surveys in shaping responsive, inclusive, and effective legal systems. By focusing on the real experiences of individuals and the systemic barriers they face, the chapter underscores the importance of tailoring justice policies to the actual needs of the populace, thus enhancing the overall efficacy and fairness of the justice system in Portugal.

This chapter explores the design and delivery of a continuum of justice services in Portugal, emphasising a people-centred approach to legal and justice services. It identifies the variety of legal needs across the population and stresses the importance of providing appropriate, accessible, and proportionate services tailored to these diverse needs. Highlighting the integration of both formal judicial processes and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, the chapter underscores the significance of flexibility in service delivery to ensure cost-effectiveness and accessibility. Additionally, the chapter details the existing legal infrastructure, including the spectrum of dispute resolution mechanisms from justices of the peace to complex judicial processes, and evaluates their geographical distribution and accessibility. It argues for the need to continue expanding and adapting these services to meet the evolving legal challenges people face, ensuring that all segments of the population can access the justice system effectively and efficiently.

This chapter provides an overview of skills and competencies required from justice professionals in a people-centred and modern justice sector, based on the five pillars of the OECD Recommendation on Access to Justice and People-Centred Justice. It underscores the importance of skills development strategy for the advancement of justice reforms. The chapter outlines the methodology and findings of the recent skills survey conducted among justice stakeholders in Portugal. It discusses main strengths and gaps in terms of skills, management and organisational support related to each skill. By detailing the results of the survey’s dimensions, including the distribution of responses among respondents’ categories, the chapter provides a mapping of skills and competencies in the justice sector in Portugal. It also identifies needs and opportunities for capacity-building initiatives to empower justice stakeholders in supporting the transformation of the justice sector.

This chapter examines the availability, quality, and use of data for a people-centred justice system in Portugal. It discusses the role of diverse data sources in setting a comprehensive view of the justice system that focuses on individuals and community needs. The chapter explores the principles for collecting and utilising data to enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of justice services, and details the dual perspectives of data needs at the macro and micro-levels, discussing how data supports national planning and individual case management within the justice sector. It calls for an integrated approach to overcome the traditional fragmentation of justice data, aiming for a system where data supports a nuanced understanding of justice delivery and access at all levels.

This chapter focuses on the essential aspects of responsiveness and accessibility of legal and justice services in Portugal, emphasising a people-centred approach. It elaborates on evidence-based planning for people-centred justice, discussing how a people-centred justice system ensures timely, appropriate, affordable, and sustainable legal and justice services that effectively address the population’s legal problems and needs. The chapter also outlines the benefits of systematic identification of legal needs, and the strategic use of data for planning justice services. It examines the current state of justice service planning in Portugal and calls for more comprehensive surveys and data-driven strategies to enhance the design and delivery of justice policies and services in Portugal.

This chapter examines the strategic use of digital technologies and data to transform Portugal's justice system to make it more accessible and people-centred. It applies key components of the OECD Digital Government Policy Framework to the Portuguese context and details Portugal's digital and innovative initiatives. The chapter also highlights challenges and opportunities in advancing digital transformation in the justice sector. It focuses on strengthening existing governance arrangements and institutional capabilities to ensure sustainability and continuity for greater impact.