Union warns of shortage of over 2,000 court officers in Portuguese courts

Portuguese courts are short of more than 2,000 court officers, with some smaller sections operating with only two or three workers, according to the Center Regional Executive Secretary of the Court Officials Union (SFJ). Speaking on 16 October 2026 in Coimbra, union leader Helena Oliveira highlighted that the career has not been reviewed since 2008, and noted that a recruitment competition originally scheduled for April has still not been launched. The situation is further compounded by an aging workforce whose average age is around 50.