The Eastern High Court (Østre Landsret) is informing individuals seeking updates on their case timelines that they can expect to wait one to two years for processing, unless the case involves someone remanded in custody. This standard response aims to provide clarity regarding the current situation, according to Carsten Kristian Vollmer, the president of the Eastern High Court.

The High Court acknowledges the increasing number of inquiries about case processing. The situation remains largely unchanged since last summer’s announcement, with the president describing it as “roughly stable in a bad state.” The substantial backlog affects a range of criminal cases awaiting appeal from the city courts to the High Court, including financial crimes, attempted murder, and statement-related cases.

Notably, appeals regarding acquittals in cases involving public expressions of sympathy for Hamas’ actions on October 7, 2023, will not be decided until November 2026, approximately two years after the appeal. This delay has drawn criticism from defense lawyers, who argue that it leaves defendants under a “dark cloud” for an extended period.

While a political agreement in November 2023 focused on bolstering the city courts, the High Courts have not received targeted resources for backlog reduction. The court president clarified that while he is not explicitly requesting additional funding from politicians, he feels obligated to acknowledge the existing challenges.

The Eastern High Court is actively seeking internal solutions to improve efficiency. These measures include encouraging prosecutors and defenders to streamline their case presentations, ensuring that judges focus only on relevant aspects of each case. The president emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to expedite the judicial process. He previously noted that determining acceptable waiting times within the court system is fundamentally a matter of legal policy.