Organic Law 1/2025, of 2 January, of measures related to the efficiency of the Public Service of Justice (henceforth, Law of Efficiency), was a turning point in the organization of Justice Administration in Spain. This regulation arose to meet the need to update and optimize the judicial structures and resources in our country which, in general, were configured by the Organic Law of the Judiciary 40 years ago, in order to adapt them to the social and technological challenges of the 21st century.
To improve the Public Service of Justice, the Law of Efficiency introduced three key elements to the judicial structure: the Instance Courts, the Judicial Offices and the Justice Offices in the Municipality. The three are the basis for the new configuration of the Justice Administration, reorganizing and maximizing existing resources to provide users with a better service.
The Instance Courts have incorporated the courts with a single judge, replacing the traditional model with a more efficient collegiate organization. Each one will have a Judicial Office, which will centralize shared services, thus optimizing available resources. In turn, the Courts of Peace shall evolve toward Justice Offices in the Municipality, modernizing their functions.
The Law of Efficiency shall turn the over 3,900 existing courts with a single judge into 431 instance Courts, with their corresponding Judicial Offices, one in each judicial district, and the Justice Offices in the Municipality shall take on the competences of the Courts of Peace, also extending their services to provide a more comprehensive service to citizens across the country.
Check which judicial district your municipality belongs to: https://www.mjusticia.gob.es/es/servicio-justicia/organizacion-justicia/cartografia-judicial/cartografia-partidos.
