Brussels Courts Experience Delays Amid Chronic Staffing Shortages

Brussels (Eurotoday) – Belgium’s courts face severe delays due to staff shortages, especially in Brussels and Walloon Brabant. The High Council of Justice calls it a “perfect storm.” The Federal Human Rights Institute warns justice is becoming impossible. The Brussels Court of Appeal lacks funds and mediation courts, but more government support is needed.

Belgium‘s courts are facing a big problem. There aren’t enough judges and clerks in Brussels and Walloon Brabant. Many cases are waiting to be heard. The High Council of Justice says this is a “perfect storm.” They say there are not enough staff and the system for handling cases from the federal prosecutor’s office is not good. 

They mentioned that many cases have been delayed since November 2024, especially civil cases and settlements in French-speaking areas.  Some criminal courts can’t handle any new cases. Even serious crimes are being delayed because jury trials are on a waiting list. They said that this is frustrating for victims, defendants, and lawyers. Cases that should be resolved quickly are taking years.

Can Brussels courts overcome delays and staff shortages?

According to the officials, Belgium’s court problems are bigger than just delays. They’re also affecting people’s basic rights, like the right to a fair trial.  Some cases could take decades to be decided. The Federal Human Rights Institute is worried about this. They say these delays make justice impossible. 

The Brussels Court of Appeal blank”>has been warning about its problems for a long time. They don’t have enough money or support, even though they handle cases for the whole country, Europe, and the city. The court is trying to make sure everyone can still get justice, but it’s getting harder.  To help with the backlog, they created a new court just for short cases that can be decided quickly. 

The Brussels Court of Appeal is also trying to help people solve their problems without going to court. They’ve created special courts where people can try to work things out with the help of judges. This is faster and cheaper than going to court.

According to the Federal Human Rights Institute, these new courts are a good idea, but they are not enough. The court needs more money and changes to how it works to solve the problem of too many cases. If the government doesn’t help, the problem will get worse and it will be harder for people to get justice.