Catalan Justice Minister Ramon Espadaler visited Roses on 7 May 2026, meeting with Mayor Josep M. Martínez Chinchilla to discuss the new judicial model and the role of Municipal Justice Offices. Roses, part of the Figueres judicial district, relies on these offices as a gateway to judicial services, ensuring local access for residents.
During the visit, Espadaler emphasised the importance of collaboration between the Generalitat and local authorities for the new judicial system to work well. He stated that "the transformation of the judicial system is built with the complicity of town councils, which are the first point of entry for citizens to public services." The minister also praised Roses, describing it as a "municipality with very clear ideas, truly exciting projects, and a very clear municipal model."
Mayor Martínez Chinchilla acknowledged the positive relationship, noting, "The relationship is very close and very efficient, and it also shows that, through the ministry, we have great proximity and ease in sharing projects and ideas."
New Judicial Model in Action
The minister highlighted that the new Instance Courts model, which started operating in the Figueres judicial district on 31 December 2025, improves service organisation and provides a quicker response to citizens. He underlined that "this reform should allow us to have a more agile and faster justice system that gives a better response to citizens and strengthens public service with more efficiency."
Espadaler also stressed the critical role of Municipal Justice Offices in ensuring local access to judicial services, particularly in towns like Roses. These offices are key for residents who do not have local courts.
Increased Resources for Figueres Judicial District
The strengthening of Catalonia's judicial system includes the planned creation of 91 new judicial units in 2026. This is part of a larger package of 500 new units announced by the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Parliament for Spain as a whole.
The initial proposal for distributing these positions, drafted by the Ministry in January, included a new judicial unit for the Civil and Instruction section of the Instance Court in Figueres. The Department of Justice and Democratic Quality and the High Court of Justice of Catalonia confirmed this new unit in their March considerations.
With this addition, the Figueres Instance Court will have 10 judicial units in this section, allowing for a separation of jurisdictions. This means a civil section with 5 judges specialising in civil law and a criminal section with 5 judges specialising in criminal law. This reorganisation represents a significant improvement in specialisation, as the current 9 judges combine both civil and criminal matters.
Proximity and Justice of the Peace
As part of his visit, Espadaler also met with Roses' Justice of the Peace, Francesc Giner Ballesta. This meeting allowed the minister to learn first-hand about the service's reality and the operation of the Municipal Justice Office.
This meeting is part of the implementation of the Proximity Justice Plan, promoted by the Department of Justice and Democratic Quality. The plan aims to strengthen citizen attention, bring judicial services closer to the territory, and recognise the role of Justices of the Peace as a key part of the system. Espadaler affirmed that "Justice of the Peace is essential to guarantee close and accessible justice, especially in municipalities, and we want to strengthen its role within the judicial system as a whole."
Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
The minister noted that the new model's operation in a judicial district like Figueres requires constant monitoring and continuous adaptation due to its complexity. He stated, "We are working in coordination with all legal operators to adjust the system and ensure it works with maximum effectiveness." Espadaler concluded, "We are making a structural change to have a better justice system, and that means listening, adjusting, and improving so that it works well throughout the territory."
