“Justice Delayed is Justice Denied”

The “Justice Delayed..” heading is, according to Wikipedia, a legal maxim meaning that if legal redress is available for a party that has suffered some injury, but is not forthcoming in a timely fashion, it is effectively the same as having no redress at all. The Spaniards would say: Justicia Tardia No Es Justica which is more or less the same thing.

Why do I mention this? It seems those working in the Spanish legal system and seeing the wheels of justice virtually rusted solid, have taken to Twitter and other social media, to highlight the stagnation that cripples the system using the “Justicia::::” as a hashtag signature.

‘Twould seem that a court in Seville – by  no means untypical of the entire country – has given a date of February 6th 2019 at 10.20am for a hearing!

Here it is:

…and here’s what El Pais, the daily newspaper, has to say:

The court has to deal with more than double the maximum 800 cases a year recommended by the General Council of the Judiciary. But setting hearing dates four years hence is not simply the result of the huge workload its judges have to deal with. In 2000, the court reduced its administrative staff from 10 to eight, while staff on sick leave are only covered if they are off work for more than three months, meaning that it takes longer for the paperwork involved in hearings to be organized.

Francisco Guerrero, Seville’s chief judge, is calling for the creation of six new social courts in the city, along with two extra judges in the meantime.

Personally, I like the 10.20 am slot….now that’s some forward planning eh?