It is one of the major challenges facing the judicial system. The increasing workload on magistrates due to the growing number of cases—while the number of judicial professionals remains stagnant or even declines—poses a serious issue that has been highlighted repeatedly.
The latest Public Prosecution activity report for 2023, recently published, emphasizes the continued upward trend in case volume across various branches, including criminal, civil, commercial, and family law. In this context, the average number of cases handled per magistrate increased from 8,223 in 2022 to 8,599 by the end of 2023. Despite this sharp rise, the number of public prosecutors has remained stable, with only 1,087 judges at the end of 2023, including just 191 women. Even more concerning, this figure represents a decline compared to previous years—in 2021, there were 1,103 public prosecutors. This imbalance between the rising workload and the stagnant number of magistrates has significant implications. On a per capita basis, Morocco has fewer than 3 public prosecutors per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 11 per 100,000 in several European countries.
Nevertheless, «despite the increase in cases registered in 2023, public prosecution offices have achieved strong performance,» the report states. One key achievement is the reduction in the backlog of pending cases from previous years. The number of carried-over cases from one year to the next dropped from 123,577 in 2022 to 82,558 in 2023. Similarly, the number of pending police reports (PV) awaiting processing decreased from 188,864 in 2022 to 137,311 in 2023.
One of the key priorities for the Public Prosecution is the digitization of judicial procedures and case management in courts. This includes the launch of specialized digital applications to streamline case tracking and monitor certain criminal activities. In 2023, the Public Prosecution’s leadership focused on developing specific digital tools, particularly for managing money laundering cases. The goal is to establish a centralized database, while expanding the use of this digital system to specialized courts. This will enable the collection of detailed crime statistics, improving data-driven judicial decision-making. “This initiative played a key role in Morocco’s removal from the FATF grey list in February 2023.”
Mohamed Ali Mrabi
