A turning point in civil judgment enforcement

The digital platform for civil judgment enforcement has been rolled out nationwide. The launch marks a major turning point, opening a new chapter for civil judgment enforcement - one driven by data, with greater transparency in procedures and modernised judicial public services, ultimately serving the people and upholding the rule of law.

Leaders of the government, the Ministry of Justice, the Civil Judgment Enforcement Administration, and the FPT technology group press the button to launch the digital platform for civil judgment enforcement.

An inevitable requirement under the “single-tier” civil enforcement model

In recent years, the civil judgment enforcement system has come under growing pressure, as the number of cases and the total value to be enforced have continued to rise. Many major economic and corruption cases - worth exceptionally large sums and involving tens of thousands of people - also require enforcement.

Meanwhile, implementing the policy of streamlining the state apparatus, the civil judgment enforcement system was reorganised from July 1, 2025 to unify leadership and command. At the central level, the system now the Civil Judgment Enforcement Administration under the Ministry of Justice. Locally, 63 provincial departments were consolidated into 34 provincial and municipal agencies, which directly manage 355 regional civil judgment enforcement offices.

With provincial-level agencies now directly overseeing numerous regional civil judgment enforcement offices across wide areas, the new model would struggle to run smoothly if operations remained manual.

In this context, digital transformation has become a prerequisite - the “lifeblood” of a streamlined system - shifting from paperwork-based administration to data-driven governance, real-time monitoring, end-to-end procedural transparency, and a service model centred on citizens and businesses.

This also reflects the Party’s consistent line and policies under Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on developing science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation, and Resolution No. 66-NQ/TW on renewing law-making and law enforcement to meet the country’s development needs in the new era. Both identify digital transformation as a breakthrough solution to enhance the effectiveness of state governance and improve the quality of civil judgment enforcement.

For digital transformation to be sustainable, the sector cannot rely solely on technical infrastructure and human resources. More important is a sufficiently strong and unified legal framework so that technology becomes a lawful mode of operation.

The National Assembly’s passage of the amended Law on Civil Judgment Enforcement on December 5, 2025, promptly institutionalised the Party’s orientations on judicial reform and digital transformation, adding provisions that make digital transformation a mandatory requirement in enforcement activities.

Notably, to ensure timely implementation, the law stipulates that several digital-transformation provisions take effect early, from January 20, 2026, rather than waiting for the law’s general effective date of July 1, 2026.

The amended civil judgment enforcement provides a solid legal foundation for enforcement officers and agencies to proactively draw on electronic data sources, reducing dependence on traditional paper requests via intermediaries, while also creating a unified framework to carry out the civil judgment enforcement digital platform nationwide.

Early gains and fresh momentum for the entire system

So far, digital transformation has spread rapidly across the civil judgment enforcement system, bringing new working habits: computers replacing notebooks; digital signatures replacing handwritten ones; electronic data replacing paper files; and digital platforms replacing phone calls to ask, report on, or remind colleagues about tasks.

Within the broader digital push, Ho Chi Minh City - the country’s largest locality and a leading unit in the system’s application of information technology - was tasked by the Ministry of Justice with piloting several modules of the platform, as well as the Civil Judgment Enforcement Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) on the system-wide IOC platform, as a basis for national rollout.

Nguyen Van Hoa, Head of the Ho Chi Minh City civil judgment enforcement agency, said: “The sheer volume of enforcement work requires Ho Chi Minh City to move one step ahead; digital transformation is an inevitable solution to increase transparency, tighten process control, and protect people’s rights and interests.”

Meanwhile, other localities have also stepped up the digitisation of case files, the use of digital signatures, cashless payments and online public services, reinforcing a system-wide shift towards coordinated digital transformation built around modern data-driven governance.

Although implemented only recently, digital transformation in civil judgment enforcement has already delivered notable early results, creating fresh momentum across the system.

By the end of 2025, 100% of enforcement decisions were issued electronically using software integrated with artificial intelligence (AI). More than 613,968 electronic receipts were issued in place of paper receipts - equivalent to 32.853 trillion VND in just five months.

Operational processes - from case intake to enforcement actions and payments - have been digitised and made transparent online, enabling real-time monitoring and removing “grey areas” where misconduct can arise.

Initial data indicate that processing time has been reduced by around 30%, while administrative procedures have been cut by up to 80%.

According to Nguyen Thang Loi, Director General of the Civil Judgment Enforcement Administration under the Ministry of Justice, the system operated stably on the first day of official rollout - evidence of careful and methodical preparation across the sector.

However, close monitoring remains necessary, with timely solutions for emerging issues - especially those related to technology infrastructure, staff’s user skills, and interoperability between systems.

Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh inspects the application of information technology and digital transformation at the Lao Cai Provincial Civil Judgment Enforcement agency. (Photo: TL)

In the period ahead, localities must strictly comply with standardised professional procedures on the digital platform, promptly report practical difficulties, and continue refining the system to ensure the platform truly becomes an effective tool for State management, enforcement operations, and better meeting public expectations.

Deputy Minister of Justice Mai Luong Khoi stressed that digital transformation in civil judgment enforcement is no longer optional - it is a matter of survival.

Without stronger application of information technology, and without changing management and enforcement methods for the digital environment, the system will struggle to operate smoothly and to fulfil assigned tasks as workloads and enforcement values continue to grow.

Amid nationwide efforts to achieve new successes in celebration of the 14th National Party Congress, these strong shifts in the civil judgment enforcement system carry particular significance - serving as a vivid demonstration of the reform spirit and the determination to build a modern, integrity-based judiciary that serves the Fatherland and the people.

NDO