Greek Court Overhaul Cuts Decision Times Nearly in Half

09:36 16/4/2026 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

Greece’s court backlog has fallen sharply after a sweeping judicial overhaul, with the average time to issue a decision dropping from 774 days to 386 days in the first year of the reform, according to Justice Ministry data.

The decline follows the introduction of the so-called Judicial Map reform in September 2024, which reorganized

the court system and aimed to speed up case handling across the country. The national case clearance rate also improved markedly, rising from 86.2% to 99.7%, bringing the system close to balancing new filings with resolved cases.

The biggest gains have come in the country’s largest courts. The Athens Court of First Instance, which handles about 55% of all litigation nationwide, posted a 104% clearance rate, meaning judges are clearing old cases in addition to current ones. In Athens, the average time for a decision fell from 1,448 days to 535 days.

Similar improvements were recorded in Thessaloniki and Piraeus, where average decision times dropped to 240 days and 282 days, respectively.

Deputy Justice Minister Mr. Ioannis Bougas described the changes as the most significant institutional intervention in modern Greek justice. He said the court reshuffle, together with digital upgrades and revised legal codes, had created the conditions for a more efficient system.

The government says it remains on track to meet a target of issuing final, binding decisions within an average of 700 days by the end of its term, down from 1,492 days in 2022. The reforms are being presented as one of the government’s most tangible attempts to tackle a justice system long criticized for delays that hampered business, citizens and public trust.

By Anna Kandylli

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr

Greece’s court backlog has fallen sharply after a sweeping judicial overhaul, with the average time to issue a decision dropping from 774 days to 386 days in the first year of the reform, according to Justice Ministry data.

The decline follows the introduction of the so-called Judicial Map reform in September 2024, which reorganized the court system and aimed to speed up case handling across the country. The national case clearance rate also improved markedly, rising from 86.2% to 99.7%, bringing the system close to balancing new filings with resolved cases.

The biggest gains have come in the country’s largest courts. The Athens Court of First Instance, which handles about 55% of all litigation nationwide, posted a 104% clearance rate, meaning judges are clearing old cases in addition to current ones. In Athens, the average time for a decision fell from 1,448 days to 535 days.

Similar improvements were recorded in Thessaloniki and Piraeus, where average decision times dropped to 240 days and 282 days, respectively.

Deputy Justice Minister Mr. Ioannis Bougas described the changes as the most significant institutional intervention in modern Greek justice. He said the court reshuffle, together with digital upgrades and revised legal codes, had created the conditions for a more efficient system.

The government says it remains on track to meet a target of issuing final, binding decisions within an average of 700 days by the end of its term, down from 1,492 days in 2022. The reforms are being presented as one of the government’s most tangible attempts to tackle a justice system long criticized for delays that hampered business, citizens and public trust.

By Anna Kandylli

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr

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Greek Court Overhaul Cuts Decision Times Nearly,Half