REPORT What the people who are waiting for sentences at the Bucharest Court of Appeal say, after the Recorder revelations. Lawyer: “I had files that went through the hands of 11 judges” / Plaintiff: “I've been living corruption on my skin for seven years”

The Bucharest Court of Appeal was effectively shaken by the revelations Recorder and then the “extraordinary” conference, where a judge said that everything in the documentary was true. HotNews spoke to the people who seek justice in the halls of the institution – defendants, plaintiffs, lawyers – about the latest events affecting this court.

• “Important people don't go to jail,” says amar, a woman accused in a criminal case, convinced that she will be imprisoned after the sentence.
• “I have clients whose case was tried by three judges, the third being excluded from the magistracy, and we have been judging ourselves since 2019,” says a lawyer.
• “It is a situation with a lot of hatred, one against the other, similar to 2018, when some idolized the DNA and the prosecutor's office,” says another lawyer, who does not see the revolt against the entire judicial system with good eyes.

Many people who came to seek justice at the Bucharest Court of Appeal say that the Recorder's revelations about the system did not surprise them. “Important people don't go to jail,” a woman accused in a criminal case, convinced that she will be imprisoned after her sentence, tells us bitterly.

On Friday, at lunchtime, the central hall of the Bucharest Court of Appeal is emptier than usual, says a lawyer.

“For 7 years I have been living corruption on my skin”

George, 35, came to the Court of Appeal with his father and son for a case that has been going on for almost 7 years. His mother died in a car accident, caused by the driver of an agricultural machine. The driver worked for the local mayor, the man says.

“In this country, if you don't have money, you don't earn anything. We live well, what can I say?! We're good with justice and everything,” adds George ironically. “For 7 years I have been living corruption on my skin.”

Lawyer: “We spend many hours here, unjustifiably”

Lawyer Geanina Matei, with over 20 years of experience in the Constanța Bar, says that “distrust has been around for a long time”.

He says he has files where he has been waiting for pronouncements for years. “I have clients whose case was tried by three judges, the third being excluded from the magistracy, and we have been judging since 2019. We have had cases that passed through the hands of 11 judges. I really wondered how long it will last, how long will it go on like this? This is not justice, it is a sham. It is a mockery of the litigants,” says the lawyer.

In her opinion, the society's reaction and the Recorder documentary did not in any way influence the conduct of the meetings. It is unfolding as those in Constanța were also unfolding – “total chaos”.

The court session for which he came on Friday was scheduled for 09:00. Look at the clock, it's 12:00. “Just so you can understand. We spend many hours here, unjustifiably. It's a mockery of the lawyers and litigants,” Matei accuses.

She says that she was not shocked by the information in the documentary, because “the problems are very old. Everyone knows them”. The lawyer says that she gives justice to the magistrates who spoke about the judicial situation with the Recorder journalists and those who then showed solidarity.

“I don't trust the judiciary, but not now. I've been that way for a long time”

Mariana, 46 years old, has been waiting for the resolution of a drug trafficking case for two years. “I don't trust the judiciary, but not now. I've been that way for a long time. My trust is gone.”

He says that at the end of the trial he knows he will end up in prison. And she is at peace with the thought. It upsets her, however, that “it's not just me in the file – there are others more important than me, some with positions, even a mayor, and they won't go to jail. Important people don't go to jail.”

“These problems were known”

Ileana, 40 years old, has a trial started in 2023. She is in front of the door of the civil section, where her lawyer is waiting.

She tells of her file: “For a year it was held up for stamp duty.”

She saw the Recorder documentary: “Somewhere in my soul, I hope a step forward will be made. Justice has disarmed us citizens. Justice should defend us, but we are not defended at all. But these problems were known,” says the woman.

Asked how much confidence he has in the justice system, he quickly replies: “Zero. I have zero confidence in the justice system. I am bitterly disappointed in the justice system.”

It's the third time she's gone to court with a file, and each time it was about her ex-husband – she asked for a restraining order, then a divorce and custody of the children.

A woman, who has been a witness in a case that has been under trial for 7 years, is waiting, along with her lawyer, to enter the courtroom.

“We are at the mercy of whoever disposes”

They laugh bitterly when reporters ask them if they trust the judiciary: “We are at the mercy of the one who orders. Everyone does what they want, but it is extremely ugly, that it affects the whole civil society.”

The lawyer says that following the Recorder documentary, “clients are afraid”. “People are thinking now, after they're dragged into the courtroom, they're afraid that innocent people will go to jail.”

Lawyer: “It's like in 2018, when some idolized DNA and the prosecutor's office”

In the sea of ​​critics of the justice system, there are, however, its defenders.

Dan has been a lawyer for 23 years. He thinks it's “not appropriate” what's happening now, referring to the protests against the justice system in recent days.

“Changes will occur, that's why this artistic film appeared so late, which shows us serious facts in the justice system in a real way,” says the lawyer.

He believes that the revolt against the entire judicial system is serious, “because it endangers the security of the state – I have never encountered it before. But it is a situation with a lot of hatred against each other, similar to 2018, when some idolized the DNA and the prosecutor's office.”

He also says that there are significant differences between today's system and the one he caught at the beginning of his career. “There was a time when some were more… naked. Now that's not the case.”

Another lawyer with 25 years of experience shares the same opinion.

Asked if he has seen changes – for better or for worse – in recent years, the man says that “the situation has improved tremendously”. At the level of professionalization, but also at the level of logistics, which is very important, explains the lawyer.

“Justice should not change as the popular will wants”says another lawyer

The lawyer has, however, a concern, related to the possible changes that can be made in the judiciary. “Things are going well now. If they change, many magistrates will leave. You will have a decay.”

“This problem cannot be solved in the streets. It is OK that people voice their grievances, and social pressure has its role, but this is not the time. Justice should not change according to popular will,” says the man.

He also adds that the judicial system has other problems – “that some are not sent to court, for example. It is impactful to say about some with businesses worth millions of euros, but these are not the problems”.

He also emphasizes the need to have a predictable climate, because “justice is a living organism, it cannot stop”.

Last months, the magistrates protested because of the measures requested by Ilie Bolojan, so they decided to judge only urgent cases. Now, says the lawyer, he has to have meetings with more than 100 files, to recover.

The lawyer also draws a sharp conclusion: the real cases are in Parliament, not in court. “It's dangerous to throw some people out of office just because 100,000 people took to the streets and suddenly put others in their place.”