Playas de Rosarito became the first municipality in Baja California to launch a new oral court system for civil and family cases on March 20, 2026. The system replaces traditional written proceedings with live, video-recorded hearings before a judge, and early results show dramatic time savings: one divorce was finalized in 10 business days, and another was resolved in a single 15-minute hearing.
The reform implements Mexico’s National Code of Civil and Family Procedures (Código Nacional de Procedimientos Civiles y Familiares). Baja California is the second state in the country to adopt the model, with Rosarito leading the rollout at the municipal level. Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda and Chief Justice Alejandro Isaac Fragoso López launched the system at a new courthouse in the Independencia neighborhood.
How the New System Works
All civil and family cases filed in Rosarito from March 20 onward are processed under the oral model. Cases already in progress will continue under the old written system until they are resolved. Three judges staff the new court: two handle civil matters and one handles family cases.
In some situations, parties can appear before the judge without an attorney. All hearings are video-recorded for transparency. Filings and case tracking run through the Electronic Court 2.0 platform, which lets attorneys and parties monitor progress online.
The new courthouse on Boulevard Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, at the corner of Vicente Guerrero in the Colonia Independencia, includes updated courtrooms and a specialized hearing room designed to protect the rights of children and adolescents in family proceedings.
Conciliation and Faster Enforcement
The courthouse also houses the State Center for Alternative Justice (CEJA), where certified conciliators help parties settle disputes without going to trial. Divorce, custody, child support, lease disputes, and property matters all fall under the new system’s jurisdiction.
Rosarito Mayor Rocío Adame called the oral court system a response to decades of citizen demand for faster, more accessible justice. Officials say the reform also strengthens enforcement of rulings, which was a persistent weak point under the old model. Privacy protections have been added for family cases involving minors.
The new system covers matters that frequently involve foreign residents, including property disputes and family law. Anyone with a civil or family case in Rosarito will now go through the oral hearing process rather than the paper-heavy traditional courts.
Originally reported by Baja Times, El Imparcial, and California Medios.