Baja California’s top judicial official has asked state legislators for 2.3 million pesos (about $115,000 USD) to create five new positions at the First Judicial Tribunal in Mexicali. President Magistrate Alejandro Isaac Fragozo López submitted the request to address caseloads that have ballooned to nearly double the recommended level.
The State Finance and Budget Commission unanimously approved the proposal on July 10. It now awaits a vote by the full state legislature. The five new positions include one judge, three instructing secretaries, and one specialist.
Judges Handling Nearly Double the Ideal Caseload
A state audit supporting the request found that each judge at the tribunal currently handles an average of 1,000 cases per year. The recommended caseload is roughly 600, meaning judges are carrying about 67% more cases than the system was designed to manage.
The request comes just one week after the Morena-majority state legislature approved a separate 17 million peso (about $850,000 USD) spending package for the Judicial Branch. That earlier allocation covered several items: office rentals tied to the new civil and family oral proceedings code, salary increases for 36 forensic medical examiners, and building maintenance at court facilities in Tecate and Playas de Rosarito.
Forensic Examiners Got a 33% Raise
Under the previous spending approval, the 36 forensic medical examiners saw their monthly pay rise from 28,500 pesos (about $1,425 USD) to 37,800 pesos (about $1,890 USD), a 33% increase. The funds for that package came from a 52 million peso ($2.6 million USD) cut to the legislature’s own budget.
Those legislative budget reductions followed two public rebukes from President Claudia Sheinbaum, who had criticized excessive spending by state legislatures. Baja California’s congress responded by redirecting money from its own operations to judicial and public safety needs.
Courts Under Pressure Statewide
The combined spending requests point to a Baja California court system under significant strain. The shift to oral proceedings in civil and family cases has required new courtroom space and additional personnel. For expats and other residents who interact with Baja California’s courts for property disputes, family law matters, or civil cases, the staffing shortage has meant longer wait times and delayed proceedings.
The full legislature vote on the five new positions has not yet been scheduled, though the commission’s unanimous approval is a strong indicator of passage.
Source: Punto Norte