The New Organic Law Governing Nicaragua's Judicial System
Róger Pérez, Partner, and Tania Padilla, Associate at ARIAS Nicaragua in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department, present this article on the new Organic Law governing Nicaragua’s Judicial System.
On March 31, 2025, La Gaceta, Official Gazette No. 61, published Law No. 1244, the Organic Law of the Judicial System of the Republic of Nicaragua, which entered into force upon its publication. This new legislation repeals Law No. 260, the Organic Law of the Judicial Branch, and Executive Decree No. 63-99, which regulated Law No. 260. The enactment of this new law represents a fundamental update to the judicial system and introduces significant structural reforms.
Among the most relevant aspects of the new law are the changes to the structure of the Judicial Branch. The law establishes that the Supreme Court of Justice shall be composed of 10 justices, appointed with gender parity, who will serve six-year terms. This represents a substantial modification compared to the previous (now repealed) law, which provided for a Supreme Court composed of 16 justices serving five-year terms.
Another significant change introduced by the new Organic Law of the Judicial System is the mechanism for selecting the President and Vice President of the Supreme Court of Justice. Unlike the previous model, in which these positions were chosen by the justices from among their own members, the new regulation grants this authority to the Executive Branch, allowing the President of the Republic to directly appoint both officials. They will be sworn in by the National Assembly and will serve a term of six years, in contrast to the previously established term of two and a half years. Additionally, the reform eliminates the figure of the 14 associate justices who were part of the Court’s organizational structure, resulting in a reduction of internal participation in the decision-making process of the highest judicial body.
The new Organic Law of the Judicial System establishes the creation of a Specialized Chamber for Family and Violence matters, both within the Supreme Court of Justice and the Courts of Appeals. This change marks a structural advancement in the judicial system by introducing a specialized body to address family and domestic violence cases in a more technical and efficient manner.
Another aspect modified by the new law is the vacation schedule for the country’s courts and tribunals. Previously, the regulation established only two fixed periods for the suspension of judicial terms (from December 24 to January 6 inclusive, and from Holy Saturday to Easter Monday inclusive). Under the new legislation, these periods are aligned with the vacation calendar set by the Ministry of Labor for State employees, specifying that judicial terms will be suspended during those periods, except where otherwise provided by law.
The new law introduces a transformation in the funding structure of the Supreme Court of Justice. While the previous legislation stipulated that the Court would receive one quarter (¼) of the budget allocated to the Judicial Branch, the new regulation eliminates this specific provision and does not establish a fixed percentage. Instead, budget allocation will be determined by the Annual General Budget Law of the Republic.
Overall, the new Organic Law of the Judicial System of Nicaragua introduces significant improvements that strengthen the structure and efficiency of the country’s judicial system. These changes reflect an effort to make the judiciary more agile, specialized, and aligned with the current needs of the nation.
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