Styria’s judiciary to suspend hearings over staff shortages

Courts in Styria will largely suspend their work this week as part of a nationwide action by the judiciary to highlight staff shortages and heavy workloads, ORF reported. Judges and prosecutors’ representative bodies say no regular hearings, decisions or official appointments will take place.

“Appointments will be made only in really urgent cases,” said Julia Juri-Poier, head of the Styrian Judges’ Association. She said the judiciary had been seeking more staff for years, but no additional posts are planned in the 2027-28 double budget.

Styria’s judiciary has 185 established posts, but 32 remain unfilled. The shortages are extending proceedings: at some courts, people can wait up to a year for a first hearing, Juri-Poier said. Delays are also affecting family law cases, including custody and divorce proceedings.

The action week is intended to show how staff shortages affect both the courts and the public. The representative bodies hope politicians will respond by improving staffing levels.