Madrid Court Collapses: 8 Years of Civil Wait and 9,000 Gender Violence Appeals

The president of the Provincial Court of Madrid, Juan Pablo González, alerted on Tuesday to a "dramatic" situation with waiting times of up to eight years for civil appeals and over 9,000 unresolved cases of violence against women.

The Provincial Court of Madrid is experiencing its worst moment. The president of the court, Juan Pablo González, denounced on Tuesday an "absolute" collapse that leaves thousands of citizens without judicial responses within reasonable timeframes. Specifically, the civil jurisdiction is accumulating delays of up to eight years, while the sections dealing with Violence against Women are burdened with more than 9,000 pending appeals with an average waiting time of two years.

90% Fewer Judges for Reinforcement

González has criticized the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes for what he describes as "institutional mistreatment." He explained that reinforcement plans have been reduced by 90%: from 20 judges, only two remain. "Justice has never been a priority for any government. But in Madrid, these decisions represent mistreatment," the president stated.

This lack of personnel has skyrocketed waiting times. In civil matters, appeals — which are the last instance before the Supreme Court — now take an average of eight years to resolve. "Citizens have the right to receive a judicial response within a reasonable time, and that is not guaranteed today," lamented González.

Litigation Skyrocketing: Floor Clauses and Microcredits

The Civil and Commercial jurisdiction is the most concerning for the court, as it concentrates the majority of the activity. Litigation has multiplied by 4.5 in recent years, driven by an avalanche of lawsuits related to consumer rights and banking law: microcredits, floor clauses, and other financial claims.

If in 2021 a civil appeal was resolved in five months, now the timelines can extend up to eight years. In light of this scenario, the Court is demanding the incorporation of 20 new judges and the urgent approval of new reinforcement plans to halt the deterioration.

Gender Violence: Two-Year Wait for Victims

The sections dealing with Violence against Women are also at their limit. The workload has surged with "particularly complex and sensitive" procedures, according to González. Currently, there are more than 9,000 pending appeals and the average resolution time is two years. "If it is truly a priority, judicial responses cannot be delayed for two years," the president emphasized.

To address the situation, the court demands the incorporation of 12 new judges for the criminal sections and nine for the civil sections, as well as the creation of new specialized sections to handle responsibilities in gender violence cases.

In the background, the question that the people of Madrid waiting for a ruling are asking is: how much longer will they have to wait? For now, the answer lies with the Ministry of Justice, which must decide whether to address the Provincial Court's requests.