Lithuanian judges’ council urges government to secure funding for court staff pay raises

The Lithuanian Judges’ Council has called on the government to allocate an additional €30 million to increase wages for court support teams, warning that low salaries are driving specialists out of the system, LRT reports.

Danguolė Bublienė, chair of the council, said current pay levels—around €1,300 for judicial assistants and €1,400 for court psychologists—are “inadequate” and have not been meaningfully reviewed in over a decade. “If someone is drowning in administrative work, how can they focus on writing quality rulings?” asked Vilnius District Court judge Janas Maciejievskis, highlighting staff shortages that force judges to shoulder heavier workloads.

Court psychologists, critical for cases involving minors or vulnerable individuals, have seen their numbers drop from 15 to 10 due to low wages, according to Klaipėda Regional Court psychologist Aušra Augaitienė. “The pay has been uncompetitive for years,” she said, noting many rely on systemic support to make ends meet.

Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė acknowledged the issue but stated that wage increases would only be possible next year, citing delayed budget negotiations after political transitions. “Every unfilled position means delayed justice for people waiting on life-changing decisions,” Bublienė warned.

Lithuania ranks last in the EU for court system funding, per Vilnius University law dean Vigita Vėbraitė, with neighboring Baltic states allocating significantly more resources.