The situation in Seville's Social Courts is critical, with trial dates set as far as 2030. One specific case, a claim filed in June of this year, has its oral hearing scheduled for March 27, 2030, concerning a company's claim of 2,000 euros against a worker. This historical delay affects urgent procedures like dismissals and persists despite years of implemented magistrate reinforcements.
Seville's Dean of Judges, Reyes Vila, notes that the delay dates back to 2009, exacerbated by high and increasing litigation. While reinforcement measures have been applied, they are "manifestly insufficient" for a "clearly structural" problem. Seville registers an average of 1,000 cases per judicial position in July, compared to the projected 800, with final figures expected to reach 1,800 per position.
Reyes Vila attributes the collapse, similar to other jurisdictions in Seville, to an "underfunded judicial system" unable to cope with the increase and complexity of cases. Seville's status as a headquarters for many companies and public administrations generates "non-conciliable" cases. The creation of at least six new judicial positions, in addition to maintaining reinforcement measures, is deemed "essential".
The Dean of Seville's Bar Association, Óscar Fernández León, describes the situation as "particularly worrying," stating that response times have "drifted from what is reasonable for a modern society." He emphasizes that "behind every procedure is a worker awaiting their employment, a company needing legal certainty, or a person expecting recognition of a benefit they depend on." For Fernández León, the main issue is the "structural insufficiency of resources," not the complexity of the cases.
The Seville Bar Association warns that the accumulation of procedures, insufficient judicial bodies, and an organizational structure that hasn't kept pace with litigation are harming citizens and lawyers. Óscar Fernández stresses the need for a "decisive commitment from the competent administrations," increased investment, planning, and a strategic vision for Social Justice, as delaying the resolution of labor or social security conflicts creates "legal uncertainty, economic and human costs".
The annual report from the High Court of Justice of Andalusia (TSJA) confirms that Seville's Social Courts are the most congested jurisdiction and have the highest rate of trial suspensions. At the beginning of 2025, Seville had 28,678 pending procedures, the highest in Andalusia, followed by Malaga (23,430). Throughout 2025, 19,483 new cases were registered, and 18,276 were resolved.
Trial suspensions represent a "serious dysfunction," as the vacated slots cannot be filled. The Social jurisdiction accounts for 54% of all suspensions in Andalusia (37,741 out of 69,758 scheduled trials in 2025). In Seville, this rate reaches 55% for the Social jurisdiction (8,593 out of 15,583 scheduled hearings in 2025). The TSJA report concludes that Andalusian Justice conveys an "inevitable message and perception to society: slow and inefficient Justice".
This year, a reinforcement plan has included four magistrates (two from Territorial Adscription, one on service commission, and one substitute), along with two Judicial Administration Lawyers and thirteen civil servants. The Official State Gazette (BOE) published the creation of five new positions in the Social Sections of the Seville Court of Instance (15 to 19), planned for June 2027, pending reports on the availability of premises and resources.
At the Andalusian level, cases in Social Courts are distributed as follows: 33% relate to dismissals, 29% to claims for amounts, 27% to Social Security matters, and 2% each for fundamental rights and geographical mobility, with 1% for labor and social security disputes.
