Justice. In Toulouse, Foix, Tarbes, anger is roaring in the courts because of the lack of means
A protest movement is gaining momentum in courts all over France. The justice system lacks resources and the staff intends to let it be known. A big day of mobilization is announced for December 15.
All over France, the protest movement is gaining ground. The justice system lacks resources and the staff of the various courts want to let it be known. They also intended to denounce the ineffectiveness of the States General of justice.
Launched by the President of the Republic in October 2021, these States General have the ambition to give a voice to everyone, citizens and actors of justice. The objective is to find a “better functioning of the institution for a faster and more efficient justice”. But here and there, in the courts, people denounce the way in which this consultation takes place.
So in the Hautes-Pyrénées, the USM union (Union Syndicale des Magistrats) evokes “closed and oriented questionnaires, imposed themes and an organization within accelerated deadlines”. So many dysfunctions which produce, according to the union, to make “the reality and the effectiveness of a common reflection” illusory.
The lack of means of the courts
We must take into account the situation of shortage, indigence and poverty of the courts writes the USM of Hautes-Pyrénées on Twitter. Supporting figures.
In this department, there are a little more than 6 judges and 2 prosecutors per 100,000 inhabitants and 25 registry staff while at the national level, the average is 11 judges, 3 prosecutors and 34 registry staff. The difference with comparable European countries is even more obvious: the average is 17 judges, 8 prosecutors and 60 registry staff per 100,000 inhabitants.
The Tarbes court has lost 12% of its number of judges in 10 years! The lack of means is not an understatement but a reality #JusticeMalad. Explanations and findings ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/f8HN7pKQjD
– USM magistrates (@USM_magistrats) December 8, 2021
In Foix, court staff, magistrates and civil servants, signed a motion to testify to the general feeling of loss of meaning due in particular to the workload. A text with which assistant lawyers are associated and which also denounces “the purely managerial vision of the activity which leads to further reducing the time devoted to litigants”.
The regional delegate of the USM confirms it, the problems are the same everywhere. “We cannot welcome the litigant in a dignified manner”, says Christine Khaznadar.
We have an insane workload and a colossal loss of meaning. The issue of suffering at work is denied by our administration. Our minister says he is doing a lot for us, but in reality our daily lives are in dire circumstances.
The union representative takes the example of the social pole in her jurisdiction. In this service, 1,000 files are pending. A single magistrate and an 80% civil servant are assigned to it. However, it manages cases for people in great difficulty such as recognitions of incapacity. For some of the cases to be judged, dates have been defined until September 2023, but for the others, it is the unknown. We don’t know when we can treat them. “We are waiting to know the means granted by the ministry, hoping that the service can be strengthened”, explains Christine Khaznadar.
General mobilization for justice
The entire profession calls for a day of protest on Wednesday December 15. A total of 18 trade unions, representing lawyers, clerks, magistrates, are calling for a general mobilization for justice.
Mobilization on December 15 in support of magistrates and justice personnel @SMagistrate @USM_magistrates @CNBarreaux @ Conf_Bâtonniers @SafToulouse @ujatoulouse @CNAvocats @ACEavocats @EmmanuelMacron @JeanCASTEX @justice_gouv @E_DupondM @conf @AssembleeNat @Senate pic.twitter.com/jD94n6RWNV
– Toulouse Bar (@BarreauToulouse) December 9, 2021
They demand in particular the recruitment of magistrates and registry officials, an increase in the budget allocated to legal aid and the suspension of the incessant modifications of the rules of procedure without taking into account the diagnosis of professionals.
Gatherings are planned in front of the courts of appeal of the different regions.