Judges Launch Petition for Increased Positions in Austrian Courts

The Austrian Judges Association has initiated a petition to highlight the urgent need for 200 additional judicial positions to address staffing shortages in the country's court system. The association's president emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that the judiciary has faced significant challenges in recent years due to budget constraints.

The request for 200 new positions is based on calculations from the Justice Ministry, which assesses the staffing needs of district and regional courts. This analysis assigns a time value to typical legal cases, such as traffic accidents and divorce proceedings, and compares the estimated workload with actual staffing levels. As of early 2025, there was a reported shortfall of 177 positions. When factoring in new laws that necessitate additional personnel, such as those regarding defense cost reimbursement and the regulation of mobile device confiscation, the total requirement exceeds 200 positions, which accounts for approximately 15 percent of the current 1,500 positions available in district and regional courts.

Furthermore, the complexity of legal cases has increased since the implementation of the staffing requirement calculations. Family law cases, for instance, often necessitate the involvement of interpreters or the application of foreign legal standards. The volume of cases has also risen significantly over the past few years. In 2024, there was a reported increase of 12 percent in general civil litigation and 13 percent in employment law cases compared to the previous year, while criminal cases saw a 5 percent rise.

The addition of 200 new judicial positions would incur an estimated cost of around 30 million euros. In contrast, the budget for increasing the defense cost reimbursement, which has been positively received, stands at 70 million euros.

The president of the judges' association noted the lack of a strong advocacy group for judges, stating that, despite being one of the three branches of government, their influence is often overshadowed by the other two branches. Many judges are currently operating at 120 percent capacity, which risks extending the duration of legal proceedings. This situation could undermine public trust in the judicial system and impact the overall economic landscape, as a functioning judiciary is crucial for a stable business environment.