Mexico seeks to reform its legal system

There’s been talk about the need to make profound changes to the judicial branch and there were external proposals that were considered as an attempt to push the Judiciary aside instead of reorganizing the institution. When the reform initiative was leaked it was strongly criticized because it was seen as an attack on the balance between powers, as the proposal aimed to weaken the Judiciary and empower the executive and legislative branches ; however, Arturo Zaldívar , the president of the Supreme Court , has now presented a proposal that would improve the judicial branch . This is the first time that the Judiciary proposes a reform , which will be sent to the Senate by the President .

The reform includes changes to the Mexican Constitution and the creation of two federal laws : the Organic Law of the Federal Judiciary Branch and the Judicial Career . At the same time, it also includes changes to amparo laws, public defenders , federal code of civil procedure , and the federal law of state workers . Also, the proposal includes the creation of tribunals specialized in human rights .

Minister Zaldívar has committed to getting rid of corruption and nepotism inside the Judiciary . He has also vowed to sanction sexual harassment at the institution.

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Along with the constitutional reforms , the initiative includes new measures that were necessary because as Zaldívar said, the Judiciary has a good structural design , therefore, the Supreme Court and the Council of the Federal Judiciary don’t need to be reformed because it would debilitate the independence of the judicial branch .

The reform is ambitious and if achieved, it will set the foundations for a better application of justice in Mexico , especially in regards to the strengthening and expansion of the tasks assigned to public defenders , who are the only lawyer many people has access to. Another essential change is the creation of a Federal Judiciary School , which is expected to revolutionize the teaching of law.

We hope these are the first steps towards a more transparent legal system . This is literally an act of justice for Mexico .

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