1

Report on European judicial systems

Presentation of the main resultsEdition 2010 (data 2008)

2

Aims

- qualitative and quantitative information on the daily

functioning of judicial systems - exchange of knowledge

- comparison of judicial systems

3

Report is the base of CEPEJ‘s work !

4

About 2 million entries, plus many comments• Budget: Financing of the judicial systems• Legal aid • Rights and public confidence for court users• Courts (number, organisation, IT use, courts’ activities, …)• Alternative dispute resolution• Judges, Prosecutors and their staff• Lawyers, notaries• …

5

• Interprete and analyse data with caution read comments on particularities of systems

• No ranking of best judicial •systems

6

• Report presents data of 2008• 4th report (previous reports 2004, 2006 and 2008) presentation of some evolution and trends !• Based on replies received from 45 Member States (Germany and Liechtenstein absent)About 730 million people concernedImportant differences: history, political and judicial organisation, size, wealth, …

7

Level of popu-lation and per capita GDP

1889

7050

4597

7085

6364

7910

4908

3180

1151

9590

8692

1854

32874454

3566

2592

2785

22583

16826

20109

31713

18637

12466

15668

64900

36322

13231

60332

10219

80600

27423

41115

10555

10683

21281

32500

34769

11987

24038

42577

13187

21747

47082

32123

33810

30560

POPULATION AND PER CAPITA GDP (EN €)

Per capita GDP

Less than 10,000 Euros

10,000 to less than 20,000 Euros

20,000 to less than 40,000 Euros

40,000 Euros and over

Population

Less than 5,000,000 inhabitants

5,000,000 to less than 10,000,000 inhabitants

10,000,000 to less than 20,000,000 inhabitants

20,000,000 inhabitants and over

Data not supplied

Not a CoE Member State

8

Budget allocated to the overall justice system

General positive increase of budget between 2006-2008

Future evolution?

9

Country

Total annual approved budget allocated to the whole justice system (in €) Evolution between 2006 and 2008

(in %)2006 2008

Armenia 8 851 162 14 622 030 65.2 %

Estonia 68 795 556 118 251 762 71.9 %

Hungary 600 700 000 1 787 400 000 197.6 %

Italy 7 819 041 068 7 278 169 362 -6.9 %

Iceland 24 400 000 19 008 821 -22.1 %

Moldova 20 390 097 35 686 050 75%

Montenegro 18 670 104 37 358 769 100.1 %

Sweden 3 083 500 000 3 033 863 752 -1.6 %

UK-Scotland 3 095 384 036 1 785 097 305 -42.3 %Significant increases in central and eastern European countries (over 65% in Armenia, Estonia, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro)

Decrease (Italy)

Evolution of exchange rate (Iceland, Sweden and UK-Scotland)

10

Distribution of the main budgetary

posts of the courts

Salaries are the highest

expenditure for courts: about 70%

at an european

level; computeri-sation 8%, training 6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

GreeceUkraine

San MarinoRomaniaAndorraHungary

LithuaniaSweden

LuxembourgCzech Republic

PortugalEstonia

ItalyFYROMacedonia

LatviaMontenegro

AlbaniaCyprus

SwitzerlandNetherlands

SloveniaFinland

MonacoMoldova

MaltaBosnia & Herzegovina

BelgiumTurkey

ArmeniaDenmark

CroatiaUK-England & Wales

NorwaySerbia

BulgariaRussian Federation

GeorgiaSlovakia

FranceUK-Scotland

PolandAustriaIreland

UK-Northern Ireland

% salaries

% computerisation

% justice expenses

% court buildings

% investments in new (court) buildings

% training

% other

1149.5

34.532.332.1

25.620.3

15.514.0

10.710.09.5

7.15.75.34.94.9

3.42.52.22.21.9

1.41.31.20.90.70.60.60.50.40.30.20.20.20.20.10.10.10.040.030.030.004

0 € 10 € 20 € 30 € 40 € 50 €

UK-Northern IrelandUK-England & Wales

NorwayUK-ScotlandNetherlands

IrelandSweden

DenmarkFinlandIceland

SwitzerlandMonacoBelgium

LuxembourgFrance

SpainPortugal

Czech RepublicAustriaEstonia

ItalySlovenia

Bosnia & HerzegovinaLithuania

FYROMacedoniaTurkey

BulgariaPolandLatvia

Russian FederationGeorgia

MontenegroRomania

GreeceSlovakiaArmenia

MaltaMoldova

AlbaniaHungary

AzerbaijanUkraine

Average = 7.2 € per inhabitant

Median = 1.7 € per inhabitant

Legal aid

Annual public budget allocated to legal aid per inhabitant in 2008

12

Number of cases granted with legal aid per 100.000 inhabitants + budget allocated to legal aid per case

diversity of policy (see Bosnia & Herzegovina, France, UK-Scotland for instance)

5975

.1

4843

.9

3051

.1

2612

.3

2482

.3

1609

.8

1422

.8

1419

.3

1392

.0

1389

.6

1313

.5

1036

.9

991.

9

740.

0

676.

9

562.

8

510.

3

435.

9

322.

9

247.

1

210.

0

187.

4

141.

3

125.

7

69.5

66.953

7 €

1'02

1 €

1'13

1 €

84 €

1'02

9 €

663

€

397

€ 1'43

2 €

353

€

349

€

94 € 33

1 €

38 € 71

4 €

30 €

113

€

1'91

1 €

7 € 43

1 €

787

€

130

€

132

€

614

€

56 €

1'92

8 €

164

€

0.0

1000.0

2000.0

3000.0

4000.0

5000.0

6000.0

7000.0

UK-

Scot

land

UK-

Nor

ther

n Ir

elan

d

UK-

Engl

and

& W

ales

Esto

nia

Net

herl

ands

Finl

and

Belg

ium

Irel

and

Fran

ce

Spai

n

Lith

uani

a

Port

ugal

Russ

ian

Fede

ratio

n

Luxe

mbo

urg

Rom

ania

Bulg

aria

Switz

erla

nd

Hun

gary

Slov

enia

Italy

Geo

rgia

Mon

tene

gro

FYRO

Mac

edon

ia

Mol

dova

Bosn

ia &

Her

zego

vina

Arm

enia

Total number of cases granted with legal aid per 100,000 inhabitants

Average amount allocated in the public budget for the legal aid per case

1'92

8 €

1'91

1 €

1'43

2 €

1'13

1 €

1'02

9 €

1'02

1 €

787

€

714

€

663

€

614

€

537

€

431

€

397

€

353

€

349

€

331

€

164

€

132

€

130

€

113

€

94 €

84 €

56 €

38 €

30 €

7 €

0 €

500 €

1 000 €

1 500 €

2 000 €

2 500 €

0 cases

1000 cases

2000 cases

3000 cases

4000 cases

5000 cases

6000 cases

7000 cases

Bosn

ia &

Her

zego

vina

Switz

erla

nd

Irel

and

UK-

Engl

and

& W

ales

Net

herl

ands

UK-

Nor

ther

n Ir

elan

d

Italy

Luxe

mbo

urg

Finl

and

FYRO

Mac

edon

ia

UK-

Scot

land

Slov

enia

Belg

ium

Fran

ce

Spai

n

Port

ugal

Arm

enia

Mon

tene

gro

Geo

rgia

Bulg

aria

Lith

uani

a

Esto

nia

Mol

dova

Russ

ian

Fede

ratio

n

Rom

ania

Hun

gary

Total number of cases granted with legal aid per 100,000 inhabitants

Average amount allocated in the public budget for the legal aid per case

13

Number of all courts (geographic locations) per 100.000 inhabitants

Highest rates: Turkey and Switzerland

Below 1 court: Netherlands, Malta, Denmark, Armenia, Czech Republic

8.1

1

1.7

1.4

1.6

1.5

2.5

1.6

2.2

1.1

1.1

2

2.4

3.9

2.8

1.6

3.2

61.31.8

2.7

0.9

1.5

2.9

1.8

3

1

2.4

1.6

1.5

4.3

1.3

0.3

1.5

0.6

0.5

1.6

3.3

3.5

2.3

1.6

1.2

0.5

3.23.2

NUMBER OF COURTS (GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION)PER 100,000 INHABITANTS

From 0.3 to less than 1 (5 countries)

From 1 to less than 2 (21 countries)

From 2 to less than 3 (9 countries)

From 3 to less than 5 (8 countries)

From 5 to 8.1 (2 countries)

Data not supplied

Not a CoE Member State

14

Information and communication technology in courts

Level of implementation of computer equipment for the direct assistance of judges and/or court clerks

- Word processing, - Internet connection- Electronic database of jurisprudence - E-mail.

15

Level of implemen-tation of

computer equipment

for the direct

assistance of judges

and/or court

clerks

most countries

have a high level!

RUS

TUR

ESP

UKR

FRA

FIN

SWE

DEU

ITA

POL

NOR

BLR

ROU

ISL

BGR

GRC

PRT

IRL

AZE

CZE

SRB

AUT HUN

LVA

LTU

GEO

BIH

SVK

HRV

EST

UK:ENG&WAL

CHE

BEL

NLD

ALB

ARM

MKD

SVN

UK:SCO

MDA

DNK

MNE

UK:NIR

CYP

LUX

AND

MLT

LIE

SMRMCO

LEVELS OF COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FOR THEDIRECT ASSISTANCE OF JUDGES AND COURT CLERKS

From 11 to 14 points (4 countries)

From 15 to 16 points (2 countries)

From 17 to 18 points (11 countries)

From 19 to 20 points (29 countries)

Data not supplied

Not a CoE Member State

16

Performance and quality targets defined for an individual judge and at the court level

16 countries: targets defined for judges and at the court level

12 countries use no targets!

RUS

TUR

ESP

UKR

FRA

FIN

SWE

DEU

ITA

POL

NOR

BLR

ROU

ISL

BGR

GRC

PRT

IRL

AZE

CZE

SRB

AUT HUN

LVA

LTU

GEO

BIH

SVK

HRV

EST

UK:ENG&WAL

CHE

BEL

NLD

ALB

ARM

MKD

SVN

UK:SCO

MDA

DNK

MNE

UK:NIR

CYP

LUX

AND

MLT

LIE

SMRMCO

TARGETS DEFINED FOR JUDGES AND AT THE COURT LEVEL

No targets for judges or at the court level (12 countries)

Targets defined for judges only (5 countries)

Targets defined at the court level only (14 countries)

Targets defined for judges and at the court level (16 countries)

Data not supplied

Not a CoE Member State

17

Alternative Dispute

ResolutionMajority

apply at least 2 forms:

Mediation and

ArbitrationNo

Mediation in Armenia, Estonia,

Georgia, San Marino

No ADR in Albania,

Azerbaijan, Cyprus

3933

17 14

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Mediation Arbitration Conciliation Other

Num

ber o

f cou

ntrie

s

18

Professio-nal judges

More judges in Eastern Europe

UK-England and Wales,

UK-Northern Ireland, UK-

Scotland, Norway: pre-eminent role of lay judges

24.2

10.1

9.1

15.5

10.7

11.3

17.4

11.3

25.9

10.2

19.2

3.5

18

5.7

28.3

33.3

14.7

6.4

3.3

3.5

28.919.9

34.1

29.2

20.8

22.5

22.3

7

25.7

6.8

17.7

14.1

6.9

13.3

15.2

32.2

42.5

12.9

12.3

53.5

39.7

12.5

37.4

27.2

8.7

60.864.3

NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL JUDGES PER 100,000 INHABITANTS

Less than 10

From 10 to less than 15

From 15 to less than 20

From 20 to less than 30

30 and over

Data not supplied

Not a CoE Member State

19

Average annual variation between 2004 and 2008 -2

9.0

%-2

0.5

%-1

4.2

%-1

1.5

%-4

.1 %

-3.0

%-2

.5 %

-1.9

%-1

.1 %

-0.9

%-0

.5 %

-0.3

%0.

1 %

0.7

%0.

9 %

0.9

%0.

9 %

1.7

%1.

8 %

2.0

%2.

1 %

2.3

%2.

5 %

2.5

%2.

5 %

2.8

%2.

9 %

3.6

%3.

8 %

3.8

%4.

0 %

4.5

%5.

3 %

5.4

%7.

2 %

8.2

%9.

9 %

10.0

%11

.3 %

12.6

%16

.2 %

17.0

%18

.9 %

19.6

%38

.9 %

- 40 %

- 30 %

- 20 %

- 10 %

0 %

10 %

20 %

30 %

40 %

50 %

UK-

Engl

and

& W

ales

Swed

enSw

itzer

land

UK-

Scot

land

Icel

and

Rom

ania

And

orra

Aus

tria

Esto

nia

Italy

Croa

tiaCy

prus

Mal

taPo

land

Mon

tene

gro

Den

mar

kIr

elan

dFr

ance

Czec

h Re

publ

icFi

nlan

dN

orw

ayBe

lgiu

mLu

xem

bour

gU

krai

neM

oldo

vaSe

rbia

Hun

gary

Mon

aco

Port

ugal

Net

herl

ands

Geo

rgia

Spai

nFY

ROM

aced

onia

Lith

uani

aSl

ovak

iaRu

ssia

n Fe

dera

tion

Arm

enia

Gre

ece

Bosn

ia &

Her

zego

vina

Latv

iaTu

rkey

Slov

enia

Aze

rbai

jan

Bulg

aria

UK-

Nor

ther

n Ir

elan

d

Average = +3.0% per year

Median = +2.5% per year

At an European level: increase of the number of professional judges, in particular in states in transition: Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Armenia, Russian Federation, “the former Yugoslaw Republic of Macedonia”

20

Number of public

prosecutors per 100.000 inhabitants Highest number in

Central and Eastern

European states

21.3

3

9

5.9

4.8

6.2

3.4

15.4

14.1

11.1

5.3

4.7

3.1

3.8

19.9

23

9.4

9.2

1.9

8.5

16.8

12.6

13.4

11.9

7.9

25.7

5.5

4.6

16.6

7.8

14.1

8.9

10.512.9

21.6

10.1

11.1

8.6

13.9

9.1

5.9

2.2

9.612.9

NUMBER OF PROSECUTORS PER 100,000 INHABITANTS

0 < 5 (9 countries)

5 < 10 (15 countries)

10 < 15 (12 countries)

15 < 20 (4 countries)

20 > 26 (4 countries)

Data not supplied

Not CoE Member State

21

Clearance rateClearance rate = resolved cases / incoming cases x 100

Indicates the ability of a court to resolve incoming cases within a given time period

>100%: court resolves more cases than received reduces backlog

<100%: the numbner of unresolved cases will rise at the end of the reporting period creates backlogs

22

CR of civil litigious and non-litigious

cases in 2008 very

good performan-ces for 12 countries

(many Eastern states)

139.2137.4

116.4116.1

110.9109.1108.2

105.1105.1

103.4102.0101.0101.0100.7100.799.399.399.199.098.897.896.996.996.396.195.795.394.894.494.394.1

92.592.2

86.081.7

73.4

114.5103.9104.7105.2

99.699.0102.2

84.4100.0

98.099.8100.0

97.399.5

68.6

99.3

102.5

95.298.1100.299.1

102.996.7

103.298.4

104.595.5

101.782.3

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

LuxembourgGeorgia

FYROMacedoniaSerbia

MontenegroSlovakiaSlovenia

San MarinoNorwayCroatia

Czech RepublicSwitzerland

Russian FederationHungary

AustriaAzerbaijan

EstoniaPortugalSweden

MaltaDenmarkLithuania

FinlandPoland

AndorraTurkey

MonacoItaly

MoldovaFrance

RomaniaBosnia & Herzegovina

AlbaniaArmenia

SpainLatvia

Civil non-litigious cases Civil litigious cases

23

Disposition timeDisposition time = 365 days / (Number of resolved cases / Number of unresolved

cases at the end)

measures how many days it takes for a type of case to be resolved

24

Disposition time of

litigious and non-litigious

civil (and commercial) cases in 1st

instance courts in

2008, in days

889

781

664

663

533

498

460

430

346

304

296

286

264

232

230

224

206

197

170

168

166

158

154

148

137

135

129

126

121

80

55

42

14

313

193

44

39

209

212

3

138

20

120

453

84

86

244

153

48

88

41

15

112

241

73

68

35

16

21

20

0 days 200 days 400 days 600 days 800 days 1000 days

Malta

Bosnia & Herzegovina

San Marino

Monaco

Italy

Croatia

Slovenia

Portugal

Slovakia

Latvia

Spain

France

Montenegro

Estonia

Finland

FYROMacedonia

Denmark

Sweden

Hungary

Switzerland

Poland

Romania

Czech Republic

Norway

Andorra

Armenia

Austria

Albania

Georgia

Moldova

Lithuania

Azerbaijan

Russian Federation

Serbia

Number of days: Civil (and commercial) non-litigious cases

Number of days: Civil (and commercial) litigious cases

Litigious cases:Average = 282 daysMedian = 206 days

Non-litigious cases:Average = 114 daysMedian = 84 days

25

Clearan-ce rate

and disposi-

tion time

14

80

55

42

197

460

346

158

430

166

148

264

889

224

663

304

533

170

498

121286

230

232

296

206

154

168

781

129135

137

126

DISPOSITION TIME & CLEARANCE RATE OF LITIGIOUS CIVIL (AND COMMERCIAL) CASES AT 1ST INSTANCE COURTS IN 2008

Disposition Time

Less than 100 days

From 100 to less than 200 days

From 200 to less than 300 days

300 days and over

Clearance Rate

Less than 90%

From 90% to less than 100%

from 100% to less than 110%

110% and over

Data not supplied

Not a CoE Member State

Efficient 1st instance civil courts: Azberbaijan, Austria, Norway, Czech Republic,

Switzerland, Hungary, SwedenImprovements: Georgia, Russian Federation

26

Litigious divorce cases: average length of proceedings at first instance courts between 2004 and 2008, in days

120

98 100

204

173

240

308

423

582

175

251 30

8

39

117 15

3

90

179

183 20

6

183 24

3 270 30

8

477

634

90

227

325

69 73 91 104 13

5

136 152

153

164 180

191 22

5

234

243 27

0 329

331

564

682

0 days

100 days

200 days

300 days

400 days

500 days

600 days

700 days

800 days

Lith

uani

a

Alba

nia

Esto

nia

Mon

tene

gro

Latv

ia

FYRO

Mac

edon

ia

Turk

ey

Denm

ark

Pola

nd

Aust

ria

Slov

enia

UK-E

ngla

nd &

Wal

es

Swed

en

Finl

and

Mon

aco

Bosn

ia &

Her

zego

vina

Neth

erla

nds

Fran

ce Italy

Azer

baija

n

Spai

n

Port

ugal

2004

2006

2008

Average (2004) = 248 days

Average (2006) = 233 days

Average (2008) = 228 days

27

LawyersNumber of

lawyers (with and without

legal advisors) per

100.000 inhabitants

in 2008 southern

states have a high number of lawyers:

Italy, Greece, Spain,

Portugal 463.7352.0350.6

332.1266.5

260.2228.0

217.6165.7

155.9151.8

126.2123.3122.6

98.195.894.892.9

88.988.886.784.783.683.081.780.6

75.871.6

57.749.649.448.447.345.743.9

36.435.134.432.3

24.49.0

5.4

282.3260.6

463.7

350.6

260.2

217.6165.7

155.9151.8

126.2123.3124.7

88.988.886.784.7

107.2

80.675.8

71.6

49.6

47.3228.8

43.936.4

173.834.4

203.6

0 100 200 300 400 500

UK-England & WalesCyprus

San MarinoLuxembourg

GreeceItaly

SpainPortugal

IcelandMalta

AndorraBelgiumBulgariaAlbania

SwitzerlandNorway

HungaryDenmark

NetherlandsFYROMacedonia

SlovakiaTurkeyAustriaCroatia

MonacoMontenegro

RomaniaCzech Republic

FrancePoland

SloveniaEstonia

SwedenLatvia

LithuaniaIreland

Russian FederationMoldova

UK-Northern IrelandFinland

Bosnia & HerzegovinaArmenia

AzerbaijanUK-Scotland

Number of lawyers and legal advisors per 100,000 inhabitants

Number of lawyers (without legal advisors) per 100,000 inhabitants

Average number of lawyers (without legal advisors) per 100,000 inhabitants = 120.1

Median number of lawyers (without legal advisors) per 100,000 inhabitants = 85.7

Average number of lawyers and legal advisors per 100,000 inhabitants = 149.5

Median number of lawyers and legal advisors per 100,000 inhabitants = 124.0

28

Average annual variation between 2004 and 20080.

6

0.7 1.1 1.8 2.1

2.3 3.

6 4.1 4.5 4.9

5.0 5.4

5.6

5.7

5.8

6.0 6.8 7.5 8.2 8.9 10

.1

10.3

11.0

11.4

11.8 13

.1 13.9

14.3

14.8 17

.3 20.5

26.1 29

.1

29.1

35.3

0 %

10 %

20 %

30 %

40 %

Bulg

aria

Bosn

ia &

Her

zego

vina

Czec

h Re

publ

ic

Hun

gary

Swed

en

Icel

and

Finl

and

Spai

n

Aus

tria

Rom

ania

Fran

ce

Russ

ian

Fede

ratio

n

Mon

tene

gro

Belg

ium

UK-

Nor

ther

n Ir

elan

d

Slov

enia

Mol

dova

Gre

ece

Slov

akia

Net

herl

ands

Pola

nd

Turk

ey

Port

ugal

Lith

uani

a

FYRO

Mac

edon

ia

Esto

nia

And

orra

Italy

Croa

tia

Latv

ia

Aze

rbai

jan

Switz

erla

nd

San

Mar

ino

Arm

enia

Luxe

mbo

urg

European Average (35 countries) =+10.3% per year

European Median (35 countries) =+7.5% per year

Azerbaijan and Armenia: increase explained by the on-going developement of new legal and judicial systems

Luxembourg, San Marino, Switzerland: develped consulting and legal activities but also small states with small number of

inhabitants

29

Encorement: timeframe for notification of a court decision on debt recovery

to a person living in the city where the court is sitting

AlbaniaArmenia CyprusAustria Finland BulgariaAzerbaijan France CroatiaBosnia and Herzegovina Georgia IrelandEstonia Hungary NetherlandsIceland Latvia NorwayLuxembourg Lithuania PolandMalta Moldova SlovakiaRussian Federation Montenegro SpainSwitzerland San Marino Sweden Czech RepublicTurkey Serbia FYROMacedonia Greece

Between 1 and 5 days Between 6 and 10 days Between 11 and 30 days More than 30 days

30

Number of notaries per

100.000 inhabitants

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0

Switzerland

France

Belgium

Albania

Romania

Monaco

Netherlands

Lithuania

Bulgaria

Moldova

Iceland

Estonia

Luxembourg

Spain

FYROMacedonia

Croatia

Slovakia

Austria

Latvia

Georgia

Poland

Slovenia

Andorra

Czech Republic

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Portugal

Ireland

Hungary

Armenia

Turkey

Azerbaijan

Sweden

Norway

UK-England & Wales

26.2

13.9

11.6

10.1

9.8

9.6

9.0

7.9

7.9

7.9

7.5

7.5

7.3

7.1

7.0

6.9

6.0

5.9

5.5

5.1

4.9

4.8

4.7

4.3

4.1

4.1

3.7

3.1

2.3

2.2

1.7

1.7

1.6

1.5

European Average = 6.6 notaries per 100,000 inhabitants

European Median = 5.9 notaries per 100,000 inhabitants

31

ConclusionsSuccess !

dynamic process of evaluating

European judicial systemsNext evaluation has already started !

32

On-goingTranslations in Romanian and

Turkish

http://www.coe.int/cepej

Report can be downloaded from the CEPEJ website