A sudden staffing crisis in Spanish courts is already affecting thousands of citizens. The mass exodus of employees, triggered by reforms and changes in the appointment system, is causing delays in case processing and raising the risk of a total paralysis of key judicial bodies. For many Spaniards, this means being unable to obtain timely resolutions on important issues.
Judges of the Audiencia Nacional have officially warned trial participants about the impending collapse. In their notifications, they directly point to a staff shortage that arose after the launch of job stabilization procedures and the introduction of a new court format. In the coming weeks, seven employees will leave their posts, and their positions will remain vacant for at least a month and a half. During this period, a massive backlog of unresolved cases will accumulate, and any appeals will be processed with significant delays.
System breakdown
The transition to the new court instance model, initiated by the law known as the ‘Bolaños Law,’ has become a true challenge for Spain’s judiciary. Judges report that their divisions are already overwhelmed with large-scale investigations, and now the situation has been aggravated by the inability to reallocate cases among the remaining staff. As a result, even simple requests from parties may take weeks to process, and urgent petitions will be handled only in exceptional cases.
At the same time, similar issues are being observed in other courts across the country. A large-scale personnel renewal driven by competitions for permanent positions has resulted in experienced staff leaving, while new hires have yet to start work. This creates a temporary gap, which is particularly noticeable in major cities where courts traditionally face a higher workload.
Reform without preparation
The introduction of new rules and the accelerated stabilization of staff were intended to reduce temporary contracts and boost efficiency. However, in practice, the lack of clear coordination and limited resources have had the opposite effect. Judicial bodies were unprepared for such widespread changes, while citizens have had to deal with lengthy delays in having their cases heard.
Dissatisfaction is growing within the legal community: lawyers and judges are openly criticizing the reform for its inefficiency and lack of real progress in operations. Many fear that if the situation does not improve, public trust in the judicial system will be undermined for years to come. Recalling recent political conflicts, such as the Constitutional Court’s decisions that sparked debates in Madrid, it becomes clear that the judicial system crisis may have far-reaching consequences for the entire country.
Consequences for citizens
In the coming months, Spaniards may find their cases postponed indefinitely. This is especially true for complex proceedings that require the involvement of many specialists. Judges have announced they will only handle the most urgent matters, while all other cases will have to wait their turn. For many, this means a loss of time, money, and peace of mind.
In recent years, Spain has already faced difficulties in the judicial system due to staff shortages and case overloads. However, the current crisis is unprecedented in scale and speed. Similar situations occurred after previous reforms, but such a sharp and widespread departure of employees has not happened in a long time. Experts warn that without urgent measures, it may take months or even years to restore the courts to normal operations.
