Context
2025 marks a before-and-after in the history of the Spanish judicial system. With the entry into force of Organic Law 1/2025, on measures regarding the efficiency of the Public Service of Justice, a legislative project culminates that has been the result of a prolonged and thorough process.
This law joins those already existing of digital and procedural efficiency configuring a new organisational model that allows Spain to leave behind a model inherited from the 19th century to embrace a Justice of the 21st century: modern, efficient, and adapted to the needs of a dynamic and complex society. This transformation not only responds to the need to overcome old limitations but also symbolises the commitment of the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts (MPJRC) with a quality Public Justice Service that guarantees equal access and the effective protection of the rights of all citizens.
This rule arises in response to the need to update and optimise the judicial structures and resources of Spain, which, in a general way, were configured by the Organic Law of the Judiciary 40 years ago, adapting them to the social and technological challenges of the 21st century.
Objectives
To achieve the improvement of the Public Service of Justice, the Efficiency Law introduces three main elements in the judicial structure: the Courts of Instance, the Judicial Offices, and the Offices of Justice in the Municipality. All three serve as the basis for the new Justice Administration configuration, reorganising and maximising existing resources to provide the best care to users.
The Offices of Justice in the Municipality assume the competences of the Courts of Peace, also expanding their services to provide comprehensive care to citizens in all points of the national territory. In this way, the Office of Justice in the Municipality becomes the direct gateway to the Public Service of Justice as an evolution of the justices of the peace. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Justice that digitally transforms access to justice in more than 7701 localities. Through videoconferences, telematic processing, and services connected to the Civil Registry, it reduces travel, improves energy efficiency, and promotes territorial cohesion, aligning with the objectives of sustainability and digitalisation of Justice 2030
Implementation
The renewal and expansion of services in the Office of Justice in the Municipality is consolidated in four fundamental pillars:
- Connection with the courts: from the offices you can connect with the courts safely and with full legal guarantees. This avoids travel to participate in procedural proceedings, to obtain information and copies of judicial proceedings, or receive acts of procedural communication.
- Obtaining Justice Certificates: the offices allow, by telematic means, to manage certificates such as criminal records, crimes of a sexual nature, last wills and insurance with death coverage, as well as to make requests such as the cancellation of criminal records or the registration of documentation.
- Access to the Civil Registry: the offices are interconnected with the Civil Registry, ensuring data privacy. Marriage, birth, or death certificates can be obtained from them, process files obtained and documents received, as well as being able to hold videoconferences with the Civil Registry Units.
- Complementary justice services: secure and private videoconferences are provided with justice-related bodies, such as the Crime Victim Assistance Offices, the Territorial Management of the MPJRC, and legal guidance services provided by professional associations.