Israeli Justice System Faces Judge Shortages as Tel Aviv and Central District Courts Remain Unfilled
After a year and a half without judicial appointments, Israel's Judicial Selection Committee recently appointed dozens of judges to magistrate courts handling traffic, youth, and family cases, along with 15 temporary judges to some district courts. However, the regular courts in the Tel Aviv and Central districts, the largest judicial districts, were excluded from this appointment round despite significant caseloads and vacant positions. This exclusion means that appointments for these courts will be postponed until after the formation of the next government.
This situation persists despite a recent Supreme Court ruling mandating Justice Minister Yariv Levin to immediately appoint judges to all district courts, highlighting acute shortages in the Southern and Haifa districts. Currently, the Tel Aviv district court is missing four judges, expected to rise to five by year-end, while the Central district lacks three judges. Magistrate courts in the Central district are short by nine judges, projected to reach 13 by the end of 2026. Magistrate courts in Tel Aviv are missing five judges, increasing to six by year-end.
Menachem Mizrahi, president of the Central District Magistrate Courts, described the heavy workload and consequences of these shortages. He noted that some civil cases are effectively shelved due to lack of judges, with litigants waiting over a year for hearings. Mizrahi cited examples of judges managing up to 1,500 tort cases or 600 civil cases simultaneously, leading some judges to retire early due to unsustainable workloads. He also highlighted how promotions to district courts without replacements exacerbate the problem, leaving thousands of cases unassigned.
Mizrahi emphasized the dedication of judges despite the challenges and expressed a desire to improve organizational efficiency. He also pointed to the potential relief from appointing adjunct judges, retired judges returning part-time, but noted that appointments requiring cooperation between Minister Levin and Supreme Court President Isaac Amit have stalled due to political disagreements. The Supreme Court recently ruled that Levin's refusal to cooperate with Amit is illegal and harms the judiciary's function, ordering immediate action on appointments. Levin, however, has yet to comply and reiterated his non-recognition of Amit's appointment.
The Justice Ministry stated that Levin has appointed 290 judges during his tenure and attempted to fill positions in Tel Aviv and Central districts, but appointments were delayed due to legal challenges. The ministry affirmed ongoing coordination with court leadership and intent to proceed with necessary appointments. The judicial shortage impacts not only civil and family cases but also appeals related to disability and war injury claims, delaying justice for vulnerable populations.
