New Oral Civil Court Begins Operations in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Quintana Roo’s judicial branch has launched a new oral civil court of first instance in Playa del Carmen to accelerate civil and family proceedings through oral hearings and digital tools.

The court began operations Sept. 7 and is authorized to hear cases involving:

• Oral real estate lease and mortgage proceedings.
• Condominium fee collection and contract performance.
• Adverse possession claims and ownership recovery actions.
• Voluntary jurisdiction requests for perpetual information in civil matters.
• Interdicts concerning possession, new construction and dangerous structures.

With the opening, Playa del Carmen joins the court districts of Chetumal and Cancún, where the model has been in place since June 1.

The electronic case file is now the central tool for managing court business. Claims and filings may be submitted in person at the judicial management office or through the Tribunal Electrónico online platform. Documents received either in person or remotely are added to the digital record.

To use the platform with full legal effect, filers must have the electronic signature of the Tax Administration Service (SAT) or the advanced electronic signature of the Federal Judicial Branch.

The move is part of the gradual implementation of the National Code of Civil and Family Procedures in Quintana Roo. Heyden José Cebada Rivas, chief justice of the Superior Court of Justice, called the opening an institutional milestone.

“The oral system allows us to move toward justice that is simpler, faster and closer to people,” Cebada Rivas said. “With Playa del Carmen joining this new model, we are expanding a transformation that also takes advantage of digital tools to facilitate access to justice and provide more efficient service.”

Officials said the transition to oral proceedings and digital case management is intended to reduce response times, simplify procedures and guarantee efficient access to court services for residents across the state.