Judicial operations across Lower Saxony have been significantly disrupted following damage to a critical data cable during construction work. The outage, which impacts the connectivity between the IT service provider Dataport in Hamburg and data centers in Celle and Hannover, has rendered the state’s court system unable to fully function, according to the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice.
Did You Know? The affected data connection is the sole link between the justice system’s infrastructure and its IT providers; there is no secondary or backup line available to maintain service continuity, the Ministry of Justice confirmed.
What is the current status of the repair?
The central IT service provider for the Lower Saxony judiciary, known as ZIB, confirmed on the afternoon of June 10, 2026, that the damaged cable has been located in the area of Winsen/Luhe. While the excavation site where the cable was struck has been backfilled, the ZIB stated that the ground must be reopened before any repairs can begin. Officials have not provided a timeline for when the connection will be restored.
How are court proceedings affected?
The technical failure has brought daily legal operations to a standstill, according to the press spokesperson for the District Court of Hannover. Because the system is down, court staff cannot send emails, and electronic case files are currently inaccessible. Consequently, scheduled court hearings cannot proceed as planned. The Ministry of Justice indicated that for urgent matters, courts are transitioning to manual, paper-based processing to manage essential tasks.
Expert Insight: The risks of single-point dependency
Expert Insight: This incident highlights the vulnerability of centralized digital infrastructure in public administration. By relying on a single data path for core judicial functions, the system lacks the redundancy required to withstand physical accidents like construction damage. The resulting suspension of hearings illustrates how deeply modern legal processes have become tethered to continuous network availability, turning a localized cable strike into a statewide administrative crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly was the cable damaged?
The damaged cable was located in the area of Winsen/Luhe.
Are any court activities still possible?
Yes, in urgent cases, the judiciary is switching to manual, händische (hand-written or physical) processing, according to the Ministry of Justice.
Why can’t the system switch to a backup line?
According to the Ministry of Justice, there is no secondary data line available for this connection.
How should public institutions balance the efficiency of centralized digital systems against the risk of total operational failure?
