the digitalization of society is one of the greatest challenges of our time. even state institutions cannot escape this development. this also applies to courts. the question of whether courts and court proceedings should become more digital is not only a question that ties in with the current zeitgeist, but also addresses the problem that judiciaries in several countries appear to be in crisis. it is often criticized that court proceedings are too expensive, complicated and lengthy, especially for ordinary people. this dissertation examines whether a more comprehensive digitalization of civil courts and civil procedures, in particular judicial debt collection procedures, could improve access to justice in germany and the netherlands. vennmanns examines in a complex way the current reality of access to justice in germany and the netherlands, the reasons for the declining number of civil proceedings in both countries and the potential impact that digitalization could have on access to justice for disadvantaged groups. as such, the research takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining legal issues with questions of sociology and computer science. the result is a dissertation that is of great topicality and relevance for international access to justice research.