In the first three quarters of this year, almost 62 thousand divorce lawsuits were filed to district courts across Poland. That is about 1.5% more than in the corresponding period of 2023 when there were nearly 61 thousand. The most lawsuits were filed in major cities. In Warsaw alone, a total of 5.8 thousand were noted. In Poznań, there were 3.9 thousand such cases, and in Gdańsk, there were 3.4 thousand. Experts are not surprised by these data. At the same time, they point out that the number of marriages being concluded is declining. Therefore, one could state that significant changes are taking place in the social structure.
More lawsuits in courts
Within the first three quarters of this year, Poles filed nearly 62 thousand divorce lawsuits. This is 1.5% more than in the corresponding period of 2023, when there were almost 61 thousand. The data has been obtained from 47 district courts. According to Kamil Jura, a lawyer and mediator from the divorce law firm Nowy-Etap.pl, this slight increase could be interpreted as a sign of a persistently high level of divorces. Although the increase is not significant, it may suggest significant changes in the social structure as the number of marriages being concluded is decreasing. Additionally, the expert stipulates that the number of lawsuits may not necessarily translate into the number of divorces. Some individuals might still change their decision or attempt to mend the relationship. Only data on the number of divorces granted in a given year and in subsequent years will allow for a more accurate assessment of the actual increase.
“For several more years, the pandemic will continue to ‘reap its harvest’ when it comes to divorces. Problems exposed during lockdowns might have intensified due to financial, psychological and social tensions. This results in part of the current divorces being the result of problems that have been escalating for several years,” adds attorney Kamil Jura.
Ewelina Gee-Milan, Director of the Law Clinic at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Lazarski University in Warsaw, highlights other consequences of the increasing number of divorce lawsuits. The expert notes that the increasing number of cases, not accompanied by an increase in the number of judge positions, will affect the waiting time for a hearing date.
More divorces in large cities
The obtained data show that in the first three quarters of this year, the most divorce lawsuits were filed to district courts in major cities. 3.9 thousand in Poznań, 3.4 thousand in Gdańsk, 3.3 thousand in the District Court in Warsaw, 3.1 thousand in Krakow, and also 2.5 thousand in the District Court of Warsaw-Praga in Warsaw. Lawyer and legal adviser Justyna Rokita-Kasprzyk explains the increased interest in divorces in large cities by the fact that in a larger center, spouses dissatisfied with their marriage find it easier to make a final separation decision. They do not risk stigmatization, which is not uncommon in smaller locations.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/do-sadow-wplywa-coraz-wiecej-pozwow-rozwodowych-wzrost-rdr-wynosi-15-proc-dane-za-i-iii-kwartal-br-51743
