Mounting Woes at Schwerin's Administrative Court: A Case Pile that Refuses to Subside
Court voice dissatisfaction over inadequate staffing levels - Ruling by Primary Judicial Division
Lo and behold, the Administrative Court in the charming city of Schwerin is grappling with a formidable pile of unresolved cases. The tsunami of filings in 2024 inundated the court, surging a staggering 62% higher than the year prior. Even in the following year, 2025, the tidal wave shows no signs of abating, with a daunting 38% increase in cases compared to the same period the previous year—all while the staff seems to be treading water.
As you might guess, the deluge of asylum petitions is a substantial contributor to this overwhelming trend. Currently, the court stands shoulder-deep in approximately 2,400 unresolved asylum applications. Every day, an average of eight lawsuits are lodged, with estimates predicting up to 3,000 fresh cases by year's end—a number strikingly reminiscent of the peak year of 2017.
Back in the record-breaking year of 2017, an impressive 14 out of 30 judges tackled asylum disputes exclusively. However, as of today, that number dwindles to a mere nine out of 23. By July, that number will dip even further to ten out of 24. Absent more hands on deck, this deluge seems destined to continue. As it stands, the average wait time for asylum verdicts has swelled to a humbling 17.5 months—a far cry from the brisk nine-month average seen in 2017.
Sadly, it's not just asylum proceedings feeling the effects of the court's staffing woes. The court has also raised the alarm regarding delays in other administrative lawsuits, from fights over building permits and social benefits to tax disputes and recovery of subsidies like those doled out for coronavirus aid. With insufficient staffing, longer processing times represent a very real threat in these areas as well, with the average delay already clocking in at a daunting 28 months.
According to the state government's scant response to the AfD state parliamentary group's minor query, both Administrative Courts in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania—those in Schwerin and Greifswald—have faced an increase in cases. In 2023, a total of 3,301 new main proceedings was reported, up from the 2,812 the previous year. Initially, Justice Minister Jacqueline Bernhardt (Left) had vowed to reinforce both courts with five additional positions, yet these measures appear to have yielded no enduring improvements.
In cases of judicial institutions, a staff shortage can often be attributed to factors such as financial constraints, inadequate recruitment, increased employee turnover due to workload pressures, and broader societal challenges like demographic fluctuations and brain drain. For a clearer picture of the Administrative Court in Schwerin specifically, local news sources or official court statements would be the best resources.
The escalating crisis at Schwerin's Administrative Court is alarmingly linked to policy-and-legislation areas, as evident in the surge of employment policy cases, with a 62% increase in filings in 2024 compared to the previous year. Additionally, the politics of general-news, such as the influx of asylum petitions, have likewise contributed to this daunting workload, with the court presently navigating through approximately 2,400 unresolved asylum applications. This mounting caseload has also affected other administrative lawsuits, notably delays in building permits, social benefits, tax disputes, and recovery of subsidies like coronavirus aid, with average delays already at a staggering 28 months.
