Cancún Family Court Accused of Delays and Conflict of Interest

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Lawyers with cases before the city’s First Oral Family Court are complaining about delays in notifications and other procedural actions, and are calling for a review of court staff they accuse of possible conflicts of interest.

Attorneys consulted for this report said the slow pace is holding up family law cases, including child support, custody, visitation rights, and family violence proceedings. A notification that isn’t served on time can stop other stages of a case from moving forward, they said, extending the wait for people seeking a court ruling.

The lawyers specifically named Lizbeth Angélica Sosa Kantún, described as a judicial case manager, blaming her for much of the backlog in notifications and procedural steps. They said she handles a large number of notifications, which they believe is affecting processing times.

Beyond the delays, the attorneys also allege a potential conflict of interest involving Sosa Kantún. They say a person with whom she has a romantic relationship is involved in court cases, and that at least one of those cases includes allegations of possible violence against minors.

Lawyers also pointed to case file 1928/2022, which they say corresponds to a personal matter of Sosa Kantún and which reportedly saw procedural activity this year. They want authorities to determine whether the circumstances of that case are compatible with her duties as a public servant.

The attorneys added that Sosa Kantún was previously transferred among different courts, including the Civil Oral Court and the Commercial Court, though they did not provide dates or administrative reasons for those moves.

Their complaints also target Maritza Titania Pantoja Arredondo, who heads the Administrative Management Unit for the Northern Zone and is Sosa Kantún’s direct superior. The lawyers claim Pantoja Arredondo is aware of the situation and has a friendship with Sosa Kantún.

In addition, the attorneys questioned the performance of Marcela del Pilar Campos Chale, identified as a judge of instruction, saying some delays also occur in proceedings under the court’s operation.

The lawyers are asking for an investigation into whether the delays are caused by the court’s workload or by other administrative factors, as well as a review of the alleged conflicts of interest and the circumstances of the cases they cite.

They said their main concern is the effect that prolonged processing times have on people whose cases depend on subsequent court actions.