Courts need capacity, not only law.
The problem: capacity
German justice is administered by the sixteen Länder, which employ judges, prosecutors and court staff. Judges’ and prosecutors’ associations have for years warned of heavy caseloads, an ageing workforce and slow digitalisation, and of the effect of long proceedings on public trust. Federal procedural law can simplify and accelerate, but it cannot create staff.
A first Pact for the Rule of Law was concluded in 2019. Hubig made a successor pact one of her first priorities: in her inaugural speech to the Bundestag on 16 May 2025 she named faster procedures, more staff and digital support for the courts.
The negotiation
At their spring conference in June 2025, federal and state justice ministers agreed the three pillars of a new pact: personnel, digitalisation and procedure. In November 2025 the federal government offered up to €70 million a year from 2027 to 2029 for joint digital projects. The personnel pillar proved harder: in April 2026 the Länder were deadlocked, with Hesse’s Minister-President Boris Rhein warning that federal start-up money leaves states paying salaries for decades, and Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg asking for posts they had already created to count. Hubig noted the impasse had reached the highest political level.
On 25 June 2026 the Chancellor and the Minister-Presidents agreed the Pact.
The content
€240 million of federal start-up funding for around 2,000 new posts, mainly judges and prosecutors, distributed among the Länder by the Königstein key.
€210 million for 2027–2029, from the special infrastructure fund, for the justice cloud, a central justice portal and the civil online procedure.
Commitment to modernise the codes of administrative, criminal and civil procedure.
Some official summaries refer to “€500 million”; the itemised amounts (€240m + €210m) total €450m, the figure used here. Whether a formal federal–state administrative agreement has been signed could not be verified as of October 2026.
Digitalisation
Since 1 January 2026, electronic files have in principle been mandatory in German courts, but a time-limited opt-out allows paper files until 1 January 2027. The justice cloud — a shared federal–state IT platform — is due to deliver a first working version in early 2027; the first Länder were connected to the national justice network in August 2026. See Digital Justice.
Procedure and access to justice
Since 1 January 2026, local courts hear civil disputes worth up to €10,000 (previously €5,000), bringing more cases to courts closer to citizens and without compulsory legal representation. A pilot online procedure for money claims started on 1 April 2026. A commission of about 90 experts has worked since September 2025 on accelerating criminal trials. See Procedural Reform.
Reducing unnecessary bureaucracy
The government presents digital filing, standardised forms in the online procedure and simplified procedural steps as reductions of bureaucratic burden. Critics caution that efficiency gains should not come at the cost of procedural rights.
Arguments and objections
For
Hubig: “more staff, better digitalisation and faster procedures” as a response to fatigue with democracy and the rule of law. The judges’ association has long demanded additional posts and joint IT.
Against / sceptical
States must finance posts permanently after federal funding ends. The Left called the funding inadequate in the September 2026 budget debate. Judges’ associations (DRB, NRV) emphasise that shortages remain dramatic and digitalisation slow.
Unresolved
Whether 2,000 posts will be filled in a tight labour market; how the cost will be shared after 2029; whether shared IT will be delivered on schedule.
Sources
- Haufe, “Pakt für den Rechtsstaat: 450 Millionen Euro für die Justiz” — haufe.de
- LTO, reports on the Bund–Länder negotiations, April–June 2026 — lto.de
- German Bundestag, government Q&A, 8 July 2026 — bundestag.de (kw28)
- Hamburg Justice Authority, 8th Bund–Länder digital summit, 11 June 2026 — hamburg.de
- Joint press release, autumn JuMiKo, Leipzig, November 2025 — mj.niedersachsen.de
- Neue Richtervereinigung, press release on the Pact, April 2026 — neuerichter.de