Judge deficiency in Schwerin: Asylum procedures threaten to stall!

Judge deficiency in Schwerin: Asylum procedures threaten to stall!

In the Schwerin Administrative Court, it currently looks dark. There are not enough judges at the administrative court, which further exacerbates the already tense situation in the asylum procedures. The current status is alarming: 2,400 asylum procedures are open, the highest value in a long time. Of the total of 21 judges at the court, 9 alone are devoted to these complex asylum cases, while the need for judges would actually be 29. This leads to the length of the procedures. With an average duration of over 17 months, those affected have to wait for a judgment-and this has doubled since 2017, reports NDR.

The situation is not only critical in Schwerin. A look at the national borders shows that the asylum court proceedings in Germany take too long in many places. In Cologne, for example, applicants have to wait around 27.7 months for a decision, which significantly exceeds the official target of three to six months. Judge Jennifer Panzer emphasizes that without the urgently needed additional judges, it is hardly possible to comply with the requirements. Since the law on accelerating the asylum court proceedings in January 2023, the situation has improved - especially by the processing of old cases from 2015 to 2017 - but the duration of the procedures remains worrying. Tagesschau reports that the average period in other federal states such as Hessen is even 29 months.

reality of life for applicants

The long waiting times not only have legal, but also human effects. Many applicants are desperate and often do not know how to proceed. The uncertainty about residence status can lead to enormous emotional pressure. Even if the burden at the Cologne Administrative Court is gradually falling, the number of asylum applications has increased again since 2021, which also complicates the situation.

A model model for better administrative processes represents Rhineland-Palatinate: there all asylum procedures in the Trier administrative court were centralized. This led to a specialization of the judges and a decent time saving. In addition, a high degree of digitization was achieved, which contributes to efficiency - the electronic court file makes the procedure easier for everyone involved. In contrast, North Rhine-Westphalia also has digitized processes in view, but is still faced with 123 vacant judge positions. The Minister of Justice Benjamin Limbach emphasized that there is enough staff, but the opposition's criticism remains that the measures do not take sufficient account of the main immigration countries.

Overall, it becomes clear that the courts in Germany are faced with a challenge that will not be solved quickly. The legal system urgently needs a breath of fresh air and more resources in order to meet the apparently endless requirements. This is the hope of those affected, who are waiting for their concerns to be heard in a fair procedure.