With the implementation of the new Judicial Map, the time required to issue court decisions in the country’s Courts of First Instance decreased from 750 to 330 days, representing a reduction of 53.2%. In the Athens Court of First Instance, decision issuance time decreased from 1,422 to 513 days, according to the latest statistical data from the Justice Ministry’s Statistical Collection Office (JustStat).

After the implementation of the new Judicial Map (Law 5108/2024), initiated by Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis and executed with the support and contribution of Deputy Minister Ioannis Bougas, the time to issue decisions in the country’s Courts of First Instance was significantly reduced, with days decreasing from 705 to 330. This corresponds to a 53.2% reduction, demonstrating faster and more efficient case management.

At the same time, following the implementation of the new Judicial Map, the clearance rate increased from 90% during the period 16/09/2023 – 30/06/2024 to 99% during 16/09/2024 – 30/06/2025, indicating near-complete case resolution.

Athens Court of First Instance

An indication of the successful implementation of the reform introduced by the new Judicial Map is seen in the statistics for the country’s largest Court of First Instance, Athens. Specifically, the number of judicial services per judge at the Athens Court of First Instance has decreased from 9 per month to 3, allowing judges more free time to study cases, write, and issue decisions.

Significant data relates to the clearance rate of cases at the Athens Court of First Instance, which increased from 87.5% (period 16/09/2023 – 30/06/2024) to 100.8% (period 16/09/2024 – 30/06/2025).

At the same time, the decision issuance time decreased to 513 days compared to 1,422 days during the corresponding nine-month period before the Judicial Map’s implementation (16/09/2023 – 31/03/2024). This reduction of 909 days corresponds to a percentage change of -64%.

From an operational perspective, these positive results reflect five key achievements:

1. Increased productivity of the Athens Court of First Instance,
2. Full coverage of incoming caseload,
3. Simultaneous reduction of backlog,
4. Acceleration of justice delivery, and
5. Reduced case processing time.

According to the Ministry of Justice, these five outcomes “strengthen public trust and reduce administrative burden while demonstrating successful adaptation to the new institutional and organizational framework.”

Implementation of Virtual Hearings

The acceleration of the justice system and the significant reduction in decision issuance times, beyond the implementation of the new Judicial Map, have been supported by additional measures introduced by the Ministry of Justice’s political leadership.

One measure that contributed to “freeing up” the working time of judges, court staff, and law enforcement personnel is the implementation of virtual hearings in courts and correctional facilities (prisons). Virtual hearings enable remote testimony, witness examination, and the conduct of preliminary investigations, inquiries, and interrogations.

In other words, judges can examine witnesses located in distant cities from their offices or courtrooms via cameras without travel, expenses, or lost time. The same applies to investigative and pretrial actions, which can also be conducted via cameras. The virtual hearings system, already applied in criminal proceedings, will be extended to civil proceedings.

Another contribution to faster justice delivery is digitization, which has already begun and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, though a slight extension is possible. The total budget for digitizing the justice system is €220 million, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).

Digitization Program

1. Upgrade and expansion of the integrated case management system for civil and criminal justice,
2. Digitization of the Ministry of Justice’s data archives,
3. Videoconferencing services and virtual hearings in courts and correctional facilities,
4. Integrated system for collecting and processing judicial statistics,
5. Digital recording, storage, and availability of court session transcripts (recording and transcription of court proceedings),
6. Integrated case management system for administrative justice, and
7. Digital platform for community service work.

This last platform allows municipalities, public entities, hospitals, etc., to register vacant positions so that when judges impose custodial sentences, the days of imprisonment can, under conditions, be converted into community service work instead of incarceration.

Statistics on community service work are noteworthy. From May 1, 2024, to today, 742 convicted individuals have provided community service. The program includes 236 organizations, with 3,059 positions currently available in sectors such as security, cleaning, and landscaping.