Suche
Mein Konto
Reform of the specialized courts in Schleswig-Holstein: protests over closures!
Flensburg's labor court is dissolved. Schleswig-Holstein is reforming the court structure to increase efficiency and save costs.
Reform of the specialized courts in Schleswig-Holstein: protests over closures!
The judiciary in Schleswig-Holstein is facing a significant restructuring, which not only affects the structure of the courts, but also has far-reaching consequences for citizens. On July 3, 2025, Justice Minister Kerstin von der Decken (CDU) announced the reform of the specialized court structure, which is now being implemented. ndr.de reports that ...
As part of this reform, several court locations will be dissolved and merged. The aim is to use synergies and still remain present in the area. In the future, the specialist courts will be housed in just ten buildings instead of 17. According to the minister, this is necessary in order to better compensate for personnel shortages. Reference is also made to the increasing demands due to savings and the efficiency of the judiciary. schleswig-holstein.de adds that ...
Planned location closures
The labor courts in Flensburg and Neumünster are particularly affected, and will be dissolved and merged with the labor court in Kiel. The Lübeck and Schleswig social courts will also lose their status as independent courts, as they will operate as branches of Itzehoe and Kiel in the future. This leads to a significant reduction in the number of social courts in the country. lto.de informs that…
The minister presented the first drafts of the concept of the specialist court structural reform in November 2024, and this now seems to be taking tangible form. However, reactions to the announcement of the mergers were mixed. Protests from the justice sector last fall show that the plans are not met with universal approval. Critics, including the Ombudsman, fear that the judiciary is neglecting the citizen's approach.
Criticism and protests
In the current context of the implementation of the reform, the question arises as to how the new structure actually affects people's everyday lives. Procedures such as video hearings could be modern, but proximity to citizens remains a central concern. In addition, the reform is viewed critically by a broad alliance of DGB, social associations and judges' associations, which are planning a demonstration against the reform on October 17th. schleswig-holstein.de highlights that ...
The government sees the reform as a step towards an efficient and modern justice system. While the minister and those responsible in the Ministry of Justice are motivated by the need for budget consolidation, the question remains as to how this all-encompassing reform actually affects the quality of life and access to justice for the people in Schleswig-Holstein.
In one of the next steps, a review of the district court structures is planned, which could potentially lead to further changes. It will be exciting to see how these developments will unfold in the coming years.