San Luis Potosí judicial delays impact family law and child rights

Legal professionals and civil rights organizations are raising alarms regarding significant judicial delays in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Attorney Alejandra Cristal Rivera Velázquez reported that agreements that previously took two or three days can now take up to 15 days, with some judicial resolutions stretching for months or even a year.

These delays are attributed to heavy workloads, staffing shortages, retirements, and holiday periods. The backlog is particularly impactful in family law cases, where a lack of judicial experience can lead to errors necessitating further legal action through amparo trials.

The civil organization Red Libres emphasized the human cost of these delays, specifically for children and adolescents. During a press conference at the State Supreme Court of Justice, human rights defender Claudia Cuéllar noted that while legal proceedings drag on, the developmental needs, family bonds, and daily routines of minors are being disrupted. The organization stressed that children must be treated as rights-holders rather than mere case files or negotiation tools.