Argentina's provincial courts spotlight reforms amid national judicial vacancies

More than 100 judges, magistrates and court officials gathered in Sáenz Peña, Chaco for the annual plenary of the province's Justice of Peace and Minor Offences courts. The three‑day forum covered family‑law procedures, the rollout of a new management‑information tool for court statistics, and debates on the application of a recently passed law regulating professional fees. Speakers highlighted the role of the 79 local courts in providing first‑contact justice throughout the province.

Separately, an analysis of the judicial selection system in Corrientes Province contrasted its merit‑based, point‑scored concursos with the national magistracy process, where more than 30 % of judicial posts remain vacant. Corrientes’ constitution‑enshrined deadlines and objective scoring (40 % background, 40 % exam, 20 % interview) aim to limit political discretion and ensure vacancies are filled, a model the author argues could improve the federal system.