Quintana Roo Judicial Branch Expands New Civil and Family Justice System Statewide

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — The Quintana Roo Judicial Branch has launched the third phase of the first stage of its rollout of the National Code of Civil and Family Procedures, adding seven judicial districts: Bacalar, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, José María Morelos, Tulum, Cozumel, Kantunilkín and Isla Mujeres.

The expansion brings the new civil and family justice model to the entire state and completes the first of four planned stages. It follows earlier phases that began on June 1 in Chetumal and Cancún, and on September 7 in Playa del Carmen.

Heyden José Cebada Rivas, presiding magistrate of the Superior Court of Justice, said the seven districts were brought on board according to the characteristics and needs of each location, using existing court structures and adjusting human, technological and material resources to keep them operating.

Tulum Becomes a Mixed Court

As part of the reorganization, the court in Tulum is being converted into a mixed court, which will also handle cases from other areas of law depending on the needs of the region.

Officials described the change as a significant step for Tulum, which in barely a year has evolved on the strength of its operating results and its response to local demands for access to justice.

In Bacalar, the court will take on commercial cases in addition to civil and family matters.

15 Years of Oral Proceedings

Cebada Rivas said Quintana Roo has a major advantage heading into the transition: 15 years of experience implementing oral proceedings in judicial cases. That track record, he said, has built institutional capacity, technical knowledge and working practices that now underpin the shift to the national model.

He said the transition is an opportunity to consolidate a more accessible civil and family justice system, with procedures that prioritize oral arguments, direct contact between judges and those taking part in cases, and greater transparency during hearings.