CGPJ takes action due to Covid-19 crisis

General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), through its Permanent Commission, has approved a set of actions that affect the justice system

Following recommendations from Spanish health authorities regarding Covid-19, CGPJ has issued an instruction considering two possible scenarios depending on the intensity of the containment situation in each territory, with recommendations to “minimize interpersonal contacts that could favor the transmission of coronavirus in judicial premises or when providing public judicial service.”

The instruction recommends work-family balance measures and the promotion of teleworking for “members of the judiciary system who may be considered particularly sensitive” in the event of contagion, and adopts the following measures:

– Gown use exemption for lawyers in procedural acts

– Scheduling hearings with enough time between them to avoid over-crowding while waiting

– Temporary restriction of public attendance at procedural acts

– Use (as far as possible) of video conference systems

– The possibility for judges to suspend procedural deadlines and already agreed procedural actions (scenario 2)

Madrid Bar Association governing board has also issued a statement calling on the judicial authorities to take measures in view of the risk of contagion in the daily practice of the legal profession, and urging the suspension of all non-urgent court hearings and proceedings.