Expansion persists in the German Prosecutor's office
In a bid to tackle the growing shortage of prosecutors and judges in Germany, the Federal Association of German Judges (Bundesverband der deutschen Richterinnen und Richter) has called for 2,000 additional positions for prosecution. This demand was made during the conference of justice ministers of the federal states, where they also requested federal financial support to create these new posts.
The alarming figure of over 1,000,000 open cases nationwide was reached for the first time, a number that is expected to reach nearly 1,000,000 by the middle of 2025. The Hamburg Public Prosecutor's Office, in particular, has been grappling with an unprecedented caseload, with over 64,000 open cases currently on record. This number has almost tripled since 2021.
The Hamburg Public Prosecutor's Office is also receiving an alarming number of new cases, with over 94,000 new cases added in the recent period. Nationwide, over 2.7 million new cases were added to the existing stacks of files at Public Prosecutor's Offices in the first half of 2025 alone.
The average processing time for cases has also seen a significant increase, rising from 2.2 months in 2020 to 2.9 months in the past year. Many criminal cases are being drawn out due to the high number of pending cases, especially in the areas of theft and embezzlement, child pornography, and money laundering.
In an effort to strengthen the judiciary, the federal government has allocated 450 million euros. However, the funding for the additional posts is contingent on state commitments. The German Judges' Association expects 2,000 additional posts for criminal prosecution to be pledged at a minister-presidential conference later this year.
The federal managing director of the German Judges' Association, Sven Rebehn, stated that the number of open cases is at a record level in 2025. He warns that the criminal justice system must not become a bottleneck in the fight against crime. The Association described the increase in open cases in Hamburg as dramatic, with the number significantly higher compared to the end of 2021.
In conclusion, Germany is facing a daunting challenge in managing its growing caseload. The need for reinforcements in the judiciary is clear, and the federal government's allocation of funds is a step in the right direction. However, the success of these efforts will largely depend on the commitment and cooperation of the states. The criminal justice system must be equipped to handle the increasing caseload to ensure justice is served efficiently and effectively.
