The average duration of court proceedings shortened from 2021 to 2022, and the judiciary handled nearly half a million more cases in 2022 than in the previous year, according to statements by Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro at a Sunday press conference.
Efforts to speed up court work
Recent statistics comparing 2022 with 2021 show a clear trend toward faster case handling. The court system managed significantly more cases in 2022, with the overall pace of proceedings rising as a result, Ziobro noted.
The minister highlighted that the average duration of proceedings was 7.1 months in 2021 and fell to 5.9 months in 2022.
In civil matters, average durations moved from 8.9 months in 2021 to 8 months in 2022. The year 2021 saw civil proceedings extend to about 7.6 months, while 2022 resulted in roughly 6.1 months, signaling a noticeable acceleration in civil case processing.
Impressive results in mediation
Ziobro referred to the statistics as evidence of progress in addressing arrears. He underscored record achievements in mediation, describing the judiciary as a leader within the European Union in this area, largely thanks to the adoption of new digital technologies.
According to him, positive trends across the judiciary reflect the impact of digital reforms in court operations. Despite challenging conditions including protests, judicial work interruptions, and obstacles presented by the European Commission and some opponents, he asserted that the reform process has yielded favorable changes in how long cases take to resolve.
Comparing governance eras
When questioned about delays over the past eight years, Ziobro explained that the period included a Covid-related shutdown that temporarily clogged court workflows. He noted that during the shutdown, case backlogs grew, but current data show improvement in several categories compared with the earlier administration.
The minister claimed that under the previous administration, results in court performance weakened. He argued that during that era, even without the Covid crisis, court rulings slowed and outcomes deteriorated, contrasting with the improvements observed under the current government, despite the ongoing health crisis, funding constraints, and opposition from certain judges.
The discussion emphasized that, under the current administration, many indicators related to court performance have shown progress, reflecting ongoing reforms and the reduced impact of earlier obstacles on procedural duration.
Yes, according to PAP, the overall trend points to a judiciary moving toward greater efficiency and faster resolutions for a broad spectrum of cases.
Source: wPolityce