The halving of the time required to issue first-instance rulings (down 53.2%), along with an 83% increase in the case clearance rate, are cited as positive results of the new judicial map reform, which restructures first-instance civil and criminal courts and defines their territorial jurisdiction, according to a report by Kathimerini.
The time needed to issue decisions at Courts of First Instance across the country has fallen from 750 days to 364. At the Athens Court of First Instance in particular, it has dropped from 1,422 days (four years) to 513 days (one and a half years), already reaching the target set for 2027, according to the Ministry of Justice.
At the Athens Court of First Instance, the number of cases being cleared now exceeds the number of incoming cases, with a clearance rate of 111%–121%.
“The figures for the Athens Court of First Instance are impressive, as we have gone from 1,422 days to 513, while in Thessaloniki from 376 to 227 and in Piraeus from 364 to 280 days,” said Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis, adding that the majority of Courts of First Instance across the country now issue first-instance rulings within an estimated 280 days.
A key reason is the increase in the number of judges at the Athens Court of First Instance. In 2024, there were 400 judges and 450 court clerks, compared to 740 judges and 794 clerks today.
As a result, the case clearance rate stands at 111%–121%, meaning that more cases are now being resolved than are being filed.
Source: Kathimerini
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