The words “slop,” “rage bait,” and “parasocial” became the Words of the Year for 2025, selected by Merriam‑Webster, Oxford University Press, and the Cambridge Dictionary, respectively. They are illustrative of the fast-changing environment in which judicial communication must now operate. In an increasingly divisive information landscape, emotions outweigh facts, disinformation spreads rapidly, and narratives that “feel true” circulate far faster than those grounded in evidence. Messages amplified through social media challenge the legitimacy of courts, fuel attacks on judges, and undermine trust in the rule of law. Against this backdrop, the older view that courts should speak solely through their judgments is no longer tenable. Courts are caught in a battle of competing narratives, and good judicial communication has become not an option but a strategic necessity.
Just published in February 2026 with the support of the Swiss Government, the Guidelines on Judicial Communication with the Public and the Media is a comprehensive, practice-oriented publication produced by the CEELI Institute and authored by Ioanna Lachana — a communications expert who has served as Head of Press at the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), Spokesperson for the EU Special Representative in Kosovo, and, since May 2025, as Media Officer in the Public Relations Unit of the European Court of Human Rights.
The Guidelines are dedicated to judges, court spokespersons, judicial councils, policymakers, and judicial training institutions. They respond to a growing need across Central and Eastern Europe for clear, principled, and actionable guidance on how courts and judicial institutions can communicate effectively, transparently, and confidently. Drawing on real-life perspectives from sixteen judges, prosecutors, legal experts, and media professionals across eight CEE countries (Albania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Poland, and Romania), the Guidelines approach judicial communication as a strategic institutional function rather than a peripheral activity.
What the Guidelines Cover
The publication offers a comprehensive overview of the communication challenges faced by courts and judicial institutions and provides a strategic framework for addressing them. It begins by explaining why courts must engage in proactive communication, emphasising the importance of raising public awareness about the judiciary’s role, promoting transparency and institutional legitimacy, fostering legal education, correcting misinformation, managing crises, and strengthening internal communications within judicial institutions. The Guidelines also offer a structured approach to crisis communication, organised into three phases: preparation, response during the critical “golden hour,” and post-crisis recovery.
The Guidelines stress that effective judicial communication should be accurate, timely, clear, measured, educational, and human-centred. Setting straightforward rules for approaching communication.
The publication also provides practical guidance for judges’ personal use of social media and includes two useful annexes: a checklist for organising public events and a guide for preparing for media interviews.
A substantial chapter showcases the international standards governing judicial communication and freedom of expression. This chapter draws on key sources such as the Madrid Principles on the Relationship between the Media and Judicial Independence (1994), Opinions of the Consultative Council of European Judges, UNODC guidance on judicial conduct and social media, and the 2019 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers. The publication also analyses three landmark judgments of the European Court of Human Rights—Baka v. Hungary, Żurek v. Poland, and Danileţ v. Romania—which collectively establish that judges’ freedom of expression is not merely an individual right but a crucial institutional safeguard for judicial independence.
A small dedicated section addresses the implications of artificial intelligence for judicial communication, noting that as users increasingly rely on AI tools for obtaining information, courts should publish structured, factual, plain-language content in formats that AI systems can reliably retrieve, such as FAQs, definitions, factsheets, and timelines hosted on stable, authoritative platforms.
Regional Perspectives and Contributing Experts
The Guidelines are enriched by real-life perspectives from Romania (the judge-spokesperson model and court outreach activities), Estonia (the mixed spokesperson model), Albania (structured public relations within courts and prosecution offices), Croatia (a new approach to judicial communication), Hungary (communication by the National Judicial Council), Poland (communication by the Iustitia Judges’ Association during a period of intense political pressure on judicial independence), the Czech Republic (communication from the Public Prosecutor’s Office), and North Macedonia (the establishment of a judicial-media council).
Cover Artwork
The cover features the 2026 painting (“Ms Justice”) by Czech artist and lawyer Martina Konvičková, inspired by the importance of judicial communication. Justice is depicted standing firm, blindfolded and composed, holding a downward-pointed red sword symbolizing accountable power and the defense of the rule of law. Beside her stands a horse, representing independence, strength, loyalty to truth, and sensitivity to the human dimension of justice. Their silent dialogue reflects the core theme of the Guidelines: communication and understanding.
The composition uses contrasting blue and red to symbolize balance, echoing the scales of justice. Blue evokes communication, intuition, and intellect, while red represents action and responsibility, and white signifies integrity and transparency. Together, these elements form a visual conversation about justice, authority, and the values that sustain public trust.
Download the publication here!
