Mexico judicial workload increases amid budget constraints

Data from the National Census of Federal and State Justice Administration, published by INEGI, reveals a significant increase in the judicial workload in Mexico during 2025. Criminal cases entered into the accusatory criminal system and the comprehensive justice system for adolescents rose by 8.6 percent, reaching a total of 292,622 cases.

At the federal level, the number of matters entered into jurisdictional bodies grew by 41 percent, rising from approximately 1.97 million to 2.78 million. This surge occurred despite a 2.6 percent reduction in the real budget of the Federal Judiciary. While the number of cases processed and sentences published saw increases, the total number of incoming matters exceeded the total number of resolved cases by more than 61,000.

Regarding specific crimes, federal records show a 34.4 percent increase in offenses involving weapons, explosives, and other destructive materials, accounting for 52.7 percent of federal crimes. Other notable increases included hydrocarbon-related offenses, which rose by 207.3 percent compared to 2024.