Judicial map of Ukraine: why optimizing courts is not just a reform, but a strategic opportunity for the state
06.11.2025The new course of Ukrainian Themis: why does the country need to reduce, digitize, and modernize the judicial network — and why these changes are important for every citizen
Ukraine is on the verge of a large-scale judicial reform that will affect every region, city, and village. In 2025, the government approved the Rule of Law Roadmap, where a key element was the optimization of the judicial network — in effect, a redistribution of the number and functions of courts to maximize the efficiency of the system1This is not just an administrative reduction - the reform means a new philosophy of justice based on European standards, digital processes, financial rationality, and real accessibility for citizens.
Why is the optimization of the judicial system necessary today?
There are over 700 local courts in Ukraine, but their structure still reflects the administrative divisions of the past decade. Most courts were established for districts that no longer exist; “golden deserts” have been created—courts with a few cases a month, while judges in cities are overwhelmed with thousands of cases.2 As a result, an imbalance has arisen in funding, staffing, and the quality of justice. Optimizing the court map is a way to equalize the workload and provide citizens with fast, high-quality access to court regardless of their place of residence.
Principles of the new judicial reform: European standards and realities of Ukraine
Optimization does not mean closing courts or reducing quality - on the contrary, it means creating enlarged judicial districts with powerful human and technical resources capable of operating stably even in force majeure circumstances.3 Instead of courts with two or three judges, there will be districts where 10-20 professionals distribute the workload and ensure the dynamics of the work.
The new approach takes into account not only demographics or case statistics, but also logistics (transport accessibility, travel time to court), digitalization (e-court, videoconferencing), economics, and regional differences.
First steps — creation of methodology, pilot areas and institutional consensus
The optimization project starts with the development of a methodology — clear criteria that determine the need to hold a court, staffing levels, caseload, and funding.3 Pilot projects will be tested in 2–3 regions: local testing will allow identifying errors and improving the approach. It is important that the success of the reform depends on consensus between the Supreme Judicial Council, the State Judicial Administration, the HQCJ, the relevant committees, the Cabinet of Ministers, and the President.
The reform will not be effective without public dialogue: judges, staff, and citizens are being explained that optimization is not about closing, but about updating and improving the service.
Digitalization is the heart of judicial upgrade
Ukraine is introducing electronic courts, video conferences, and online access to materials — this not only speeds up the processing of cases, but also equalizes real chances for people from different parts of the country.4 An electronic office, remote recording, and online court hearings are elements of a modern system that will not only save the state millions but also make life easier for Ukrainians.
It is digitalization that should become the key to transparency, openness, and anti-corruption resilience of the judicial sector.
Consequences for citizens and society
For people, the main thing is the disappearance of “empty” courts, the speed of case processing, the reduction of bureaucracy, the ability to go to court without obstacles. Enlarged courts mean fewer queues, fewer delays, and more fair decisions.
The new regional districts will avoid “judicial feudal lords” and strengthen control over the quality of judges’ work. The system will become less dependent on local political and oligarchic influences.
Challenges, risks and safeguards of reform
The main risks are low quality of staff, resistance from local communities, and reluctance to lose “their” courts. To overcome this, the reform provides for transparent competitions, an independent audit, and a maximally open process for attracting new judges.2 To optimize each district, there will be a separate commission, public discussion, and verification of the results in pilot regions.
It is essential that no court be closed without guarantees of access to justice, even in remote areas.
Legal and professional argumentation - what will the reform bring?
- Equalization of workload between courts across the country
- Improving the qualifications and moral integrity of judges
- Reduction of administrative resource costs
- Possibility of European integration due to compliance with EU standards
- Strengthening guarantees of the right to a fair trial
- Single window system for citizens to apply online
International experience: how courts around the world are optimizing
The reform of judicial networks took place in Poland, Germany, and France — everywhere the emphasis was on digitalization, simplification of access, enlargement of districts, and strengthening of personnel control. The experience of NATO countries shows: electronic court, video conferencing, and automation of cases are not a trend, but the norm.5
Prospects for the future: what does the new judicial landscape promise?
In 3-5 years, Ukrainians can have a system that meets European requirements: swift justice, independence of judges, digital access, and stability of work in crisis conditions. The main thing is gradualism, professional expertise, and constant control.
Real progress in judicial reform will become a guarantee of protecting citizens' rights, an anti-corruption tool, and the foundation for Ukraine's European integration.
Sources
- ZN.ua: Court map reform: why does Ukraine need to optimize the court network?
- Inforum: Judiciary of Ukraine 2025: reforms, structure
- ZN.ua: Reform of the court map: why Ukraine should optimize the judicial ...
- YurFAK Bulletin: Theoretical and practical aspects of the influence of judicial lawmaking
- Sud.ua: Optimization of the court system in Ukraine: first results and next steps
