# Austrian Legal Experts Protest Staff Shortages

October 12, 2026 at 08:33 PM

> Legal professionals demand 320 new positions to address a 120 percent workload crisis during the nationwide Rule of Law Action Week.

Legal professionals across [Austria](<https://austriareport.com/entity/austria-q40>) are protesting judicial working conditions during the Rule of Law Action Week. According to representative bodies, the system faces a shortage of 320 positions, including 250 judges and 70 public prosecutors nationwide.

Internal calculations show a 120 percent workload, with **Vienna Criminal Court** judges handling over 200 new files annually. While former Minister [Alma Zadić](<https://austriareport.com/entity/alma-zadic-q42162193>) added staff, current Minister [Anna Sporrer](<https://austriareport.com/entity/anna-sporrer-q27703007>) faces no new planned positions for 2027 and 2028.

The Association of Defense Lawyers supports these demands as the ministry announces AI development plans. Union leader **Martin Ulrich** and official Nicole Baczak highlight the strain, echoing the 2019 warning that the judiciary is dying a silent death.


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