Justice Wanes When Courts Buckle Under Delays, Exodus and Rising Costs

Jan 3 , 2026. By Yonas Jarsa ( Yonas Jarsa is a licensed attorney practicing before the Federal Courts of Ethiopia. He advises local and international clients on corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters, with a particular focus on arbitration, mining, and financial sector regulations. He also provides guidance to institutions on legal strategy, compliance, and dispute resolution in the Ethiopian context. He can be reached at (yonasjarsa@gmail.com) )

Federal courts are wrestling with unprecedented delays, with cases routinely taking a long time to resolve after hearings conclude. For many litigants, this means prolonged uncertainty and an arduous journey through the justice system. What was once expected to deliver timely remedies now often feels like a test of endurance.

Federal courts are under mounting pressure, marked by growing delays, inconsistent judgments, and rising legal costs. For many, the justice system has become less a forum for remedy and more a test of endurance, as litigants face prolonged waits, unpredictable outcomes, and high financial burdens.

The most acute issue is the steady lengthening of federal court proceedings. Cases often take months, sometimes years, to resolve after final hearings conclude. Businesses and individuals are left in limbo, forced to operate or live with persistent uncertainty. This is not a rare exception but has become the expected course for most litigants. “Justice delayed is justice denied” rings especially true, as the backlog feeds frustration and undermines confidence in the courts’ ability to provide timely redress.

Granted, procedural reforms have been introduced and new directives issued in the hope of improving efficiency. However, these changes remain largely cosmetic and do not address core problems. Judges are overburdened, and support staff are stretched thin. The sheer volume of cases outpaces institutional capacity. More paperwork alone does not move the needle. The judiciary is working to implement the ECourt Ethiopia digitalisation initiative by 2026, a step welcomed by many as a move toward modernisation, less backlog, and improved access.

Technology, however, is not a cure-all. Without investment in human resources and institutional welfare, digital systems risk producing swifter but still unreliable results.

A troubling trend is the declining quality and consistency of court judgments. Many decisions show little engagement with legal arguments or precedents. Similar cases often yield contradictory outcomes. This inconsistency erodes legal predictability and public confidence, as reflected in Ethiopia’s poor rankings on global rule-of-law indices. Judges, under pressure to dispose of cases quickly, may prioritise speed at the expense of careful reasoning. Justice, after all, is not an assembly line.

Less visible but equally important is the quiet exodus of experienced judges from federal courts. Salaries remain well below the norm for sub-Saharan Africa, especially given the complexity and workload judges face. In many countries, judicial service is protected and supported by competitive pay, pensions, and social safety nets. In Ethiopia, the role is increasingly seen as a sacrifice rather than a profession. As senior judges leave for international institutions or the private sector, courts lose institutional memory and mentorship. Younger judges, under pressure and with limited guidance, are left to preside over complex commercial and constitutional disputes, leading to unpredictable and uneven outcomes.

The issue is not only about pay. Recent deaths among judges have revealed a striking lack of compensation or social protection for their families. The demands placed on judges, in terms of autonomy, integrity, and personal risk, are not matched by the security and recognition offered in return. This undermines judicial independence at its core.

Financial barriers to justice have grown heavy. Increases in court filing fees and the imposition of a 15pc value-added tax (VAT) on legal services, mandated under a law passed in 2024, have made accessing the courts more expensive. It raised constitutional concerns, with Article 37 of the Constitution guaranteeing the right of access to courts. That right becomes meaningless if most citizens cannot afford to exercise it. Small businesses, ordinary citizens, and marginalised groups now find the price of seeking justice beyond reach. There is a risk that the courts become a privilege for the wealthy, not a right for all.

Judicial reform will require more than new technology and stricter case management. Real progress will only come from sustained investment in judicial capacity, fair remuneration, and respect for the dignity of the profession. Without this, any efficiency gains will remain fragile and short-lived.

The implications would be far-reaching, as businesses depend on predictable, timely dispute resolution. Citizens look to the courts as the ultimate guardians of their rights. When justice becomes slow, inconsistent, and expensive, trust in the entire system of governance erodes. Restoring that trust means building a justice system that delivers not only speed, but fairness and access, qualities essential for public confidence and the rule of law.

PUBLISHED ON Jan 03,2026 [ VOL 26 , NO 1340]