Future of the judiciary in danger? SPD calls for a stop to the district court reform!

Future of the judiciary in danger? SPD calls for a stop to the district court reform!

In Schleswig-Holstein, the planned judicial reform is causing waves and a lot of headwind. While Justice Minister Kerstin von der Decken adjusted her plans to reduce the district court structure in November 2024, there is still strong criticism and numerous concerns. The SPD parliamentary group is vehemently demanding that the reform of the local courts be stopped. SPD MP Marc Timmer sums up the concerns: “The increase in procedures requires maintaining the offer,” which calls into question the need for comprehensive reform. At the moment, the number of proceedings in the district courts remains high, which is reflected in concrete figures.

Current considerations by the federal government stipulate that local courts will in future also be able to hear civil law proceedings with a dispute amount of up to 10,000 euros. This is an increase compared to the previous 5,000 euros. In addition, neighborhood disputes will be heard in local courts, which will result in the number of cases continuing to rise. In Schleswig-Holstein there are currently 22 district courts in 15 districts and independent cities, and this number could be significantly reduced in the coming years as a result of the reform.

Strong concerns about centralization

The focus is also on centralizing the labor and social courts at one location in Neumünster, as von der Decken originally planned. Critics fear that access to justice will be restricted for many citizens. An open letter from the court management to Prime Minister Daniel Günther and Justice Minister von der Decken makes it clear: “Access to the courts has constitutional status.” The planned merger could be particularly problematic for citizens with physical limitations or social disadvantages, as they would have to accept longer journeys and higher costs.

With a petition that has already collected over 4,200 signatures, citizens and those affected are campaigning for the preservation of labor and social courts in the current regions. The initiators warn of the negative consequences of the reform, especially for people who rely on access to the courts. A central location could also jeopardize the networking of the local courts and make it more difficult to decide on the proceedings.

Positions in the political discussion

The planned reforms are sometimes sharply criticized by the opposition. Lars Harms from the SSW describes the plans as a “catastrophe”, while Bernd Buchholz from the FDP dismisses the financial assumptions as “milkmaid calculations”. Marc Timmer himself calls the reform plans an “insolence”. Despite these negative voices, von der Decken defends the necessary changes. In her opinion, online hearings and regular court days could improve proximity to citizens.

As part of the political discussion, a hearing of those involved is planned, which is scheduled to take place in November. Trade unions and judges' associations are already mobilizing to rally to draw attention to the importance of citizen-friendly access to justice. It remains to be seen whether the reform plans will last in their current form.