Argentina moves ahead with jury‑trial reform as government readies bill for Congress

The Argentine executive is finalising a draft law to introduce jury trials in federal courts and plans to submit it to Congress after a final technical review. Officials said the text is "almost finished" and that the proposal, which has already passed through the Ministry of Justice and the Secretariat of Legal and Technical Affairs, was coordinated with the Supreme Court. The draft envisions juries of twelve members, including parity between men and women, for crimes carrying maximum sentences of more than five years, with a judge directing the proceedings.

The reform is part of a broader judicial agenda that also includes the preparation of about 30 additional judicial dossiers for the Senate and the pending overhaul of the Penal Code. In parallel, the Senate approved a large batch of 74 judicial appointments, among them María Verónica Michelli for the Federal Oral Tribunal in La Plata, a nominee whose selection has drawn political scrutiny, as well as other judges with ties to ongoing high‑profile cases. The combined legislative push aims to accelerate vacancy coverage in federal courts and reshape aspects of Argentina’s criminal justice system.