Abstract
The global transition to e-government promises to enhance access to justice by making public services more efficient, transparent, and accessible. However, this promise is being systematically undermined by the persistent use of „legalese” in digital interfaces, which shifts the primary barrier to access from the physical to the cognitive realm. This article examines the detrimental impact of this communication gap on citizens, particularly vulnerable populations. Through a qualitative analysis of official reports from intergovernmental organizations, case studies of digital government platforms, and a comprehensive review of socio-legal, communication, and cognitive science literature, this paper argues that merely digitizing complex bureaucratic and legal language without fundamental simplification does not improve access to justice. Instead, it creates a new form of digital exclusion predicated on legal and linguistic literacy. This „cognitive divide” disproportionately affects individuals seeking essential services such as unemployment benefits, court access, and immigration assistance, leading to errors, abandonment of processes, and a failure to secure fundamental rights. The analysis concludes that the integration of plain language principles must be a core tenet of digital government design, not an afterthought. A framework is proposed for creating truly accessible legal communication online, advocating for mandated standards, user-centered design, and reforms in legal education to bridge the communication gap and fulfill the democratic potential of e-government.