Dutch bill would let judges serve as deputies until 73

The Dutch government has submitted a bill that would allow retired judges who wish to continue working to serve as deputy judges until the age of 73, making a temporary arrangement permanent. The proposal is intended to help address a shortage of judges; it still needs approval from parliament.

Judges in the Netherlands currently have a statutory retirement age of 70. Under the temporary law, judges aged 70 and over can be appointed as deputies when courts need extra capacity. That law is due to expire on 16 November. By submitting the permanent bill before the deadline, the government says current deputies can continue and new ones can be appointed.

The government says 170 deputy judges over 70 worked in the courts in 2025. State Secretary for Justice and Security Claudia van Bruggen said their experience had been positive and that their work helped ease pressure on the courts.

The bill would allow such deputies to work in district courts, courts of appeal, the Central Appeals Tribunal and the Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal when needed to cover capacity shortages.

The government also cites rising numbers of judges approaching retirement age, alongside judges who retire earlier, as factors behind the shortfall. Other measures include increasing annual training places for judges and providing funding for support staff and changes intended to reduce workloads.