Key data
| Regulation | Agreement of June 23, 2026, of the Permanent Commission of the CGPJ, approving the modification of the Agreement on specialization of Section 1st of the Provincial Court of Valencia in matters of Violence against Women |
|---|---|
| Official Gazette Publication | July 9, 2026 |
| Entry into force | January 1, 2027 |
| Affected parties | Victims of gender violence in Valencia and legal operators of the Provincial Court |
| Category | Public Sector — Judicial Organization |
| Legal basis | Articles 80.3, 82 and 82 bis 2 of Organic Law 6/1985, of July 1, on the Judicial Power |
| Official Gazette Reference | BOE-A-2026-14941 |
All appeals and other matters concerning gender violence that are processed before the Provincial Court of Valencia will be concentrated in Section 1st as of January 1, 2027. The General Council of the Judicial Power has approved this modification through an agreement of its Permanent Commission of June 23, 2026, published in the Official Gazette on July 9, 2026.
The measure does not create a new judicial body: it reorganizes the internal distribution of matters within the Provincial Court, assigning exclusive jurisdiction to Section 1st in this area. The practical result is that no other section of the Provincial Court of Valencia will be able to hear these matters from that date onwards.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement modifies the previous specialization regime of Section 1st of the Provincial Court of Valencia. Until now, this section had jurisdiction in gender violence matters, but not exclusively and exclusively. With the new wording, exclusivity is total: no other body of the Provincial Court of Valencia will be able to hear these matters.
The legal authorization is based on three articles of the Organic Law 6/1985, of July 1, on the Judicial Power:
- Article 80.3: Power of the CGPJ to agree on specializations in Provincial Courts.
- Article 82: General powers of Provincial Courts.
- Article 82 bis 2: Specific regime for specialization in matters of violence against women.
The following table summarizes the specific change introduced by the agreement:
| Aspect | Previous situation | Situation from 01/01/2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction in gender violence | Section 1st with specialization, without exclusive and exclusive character | Section 1st with exclusive and exclusive jurisdiction |
| Other sections of the Court | Could hear gender violence matters | Cannot hear these matters |
| New judicial bodies | Not applicable | No new bodies are created |
| Jurisprudential consistency | Potentially dispersed criteria among sections | Unified criteria in a single specialized section |
Economic and operational impact
This measure does not generate direct costs for private companies or self-employed individuals. Its impact is fundamentally operational and procedural for law firms, solicitors and other legal operators who litigate before the Provincial Court of Valencia in matters of gender violence.
The most relevant operational effects are:
- Concentration of all appeals and resources in a single section, which simplifies procedural interaction for legal professionals.
- Greater jurisprudential predictability: by unifying jurisdiction in a single specialized section, resolution criteria will be more consistent and predictable.
- Internal reorganization of matter distribution in the Provincial Court, with impact on the workload of the different sections.
- Six-month adaptation period (from publication on July 9, 2026 to entry into force on January 1, 2027) for the court to adjust its internal procedures.
For law firms specialized in family law and gender violence in Valencia, concentration in a single section can represent a competitive advantage: in-depth knowledge of the criteria of a single section facilitates the preparation of appeals and improves the quality of client advice.
Who does it affect?
- Victims of gender violence in the province of Valencia: their cases in the second instance will always be processed before Section 1st, with specialized judges.
- Lawyers and female lawyers who file appeals in matters of violence against women before the Provincial Court of Valencia.
- Solicitors with representation in gender violence proceedings in Valencia.
- Judges and staff of the Provincial Court of Valencia: directly affects the internal distribution of matters among sections.
- Provincial Public Prosecutor's Office of Valencia: must direct its actions in this matter exclusively to Section 1st.
- Victim assistance organizations (care centers, social services) that accompany judicial processes in the second instance.
Practical example
A law firm in Valencia handles several gender violence proceedings in the first instance before the Courts for Violence against Women. When any of those rulings is appealed, the appeal will be elevated to the Provincial Court of Valencia.
Before January 1, 2027, that appeal could be assigned to any section of the Provincial Court according to the distribution schedule. From that date onwards, the appeal will always and without exception go to Section 1st. The firm knows in advance which section will rule, can study its specific jurisprudence and adapt its procedural strategy with greater precision. There are no additional court fee costs or changes in procedural deadlines: the change is exclusively organizational and distributive.
What should legal operators do now?
- Identify active proceedings: Review all gender violence matters in process before the Provincial Court of Valencia to anticipate how the new distribution will affect pending appeals from January 1, 2027 onwards.
- Update internal office protocols: Modify templates and work flows to direct all appeal briefs in this matter exclusively to Section 1st from the date of entry into force.
- Study the jurisprudence of Section 1st: Analyze the criteria and jurisprudential lines of this section to improve the preparation of appeals and the quality of advice.
- Inform affected clients: Communicate to victims and parties in active proceedings the organizational change and its practical implications, especially regarding predictability of criteria.
- Coordinate with the Public Prosecutor and other operators: If you regularly work with the Provincial Public Prosecutor or victim assistance services, align new work flows before January 1, 2027.
Frequently asked questions
When does the exclusive specialization of Section 1st of the Provincial Court of Valencia come into force?
The agreement comes into force on January 1, 2027. It was published in the Official Gazette on July 9, 2026, which gives the court an organizational adaptation period of approximately six months.
What does it mean that jurisdiction is "exclusive and exclusive"?
It means that only Section 1st of the Provincial Court of Valencia will be able to hear matters concerning violence against women. No other section of the same court will be able to assume these matters from January 1, 2027 onwards, regardless of the distribution schedule.
Are new courts or sections created with this agreement?
No. The agreement does not create any new judicial body. It is exclusively a reorganization of the internal distribution of matters within the already existing Provincial Court of Valencia.
What legal basis supports this specialization?
The agreement is supported by articles 80.3, 82 and 82 bis 2 of Organic Law 6/1985, of July 1, on the Judicial Power, which empower the CGPJ to agree on specializations in Provincial Courts in matters of violence against women.
Does this change affect proceedings already initiated before January 1, 2027?
The agreement does not establish explicit transitional provisions on ongoing matters. Appeals filed from January 1, 2027 onwards will necessarily go to Section 1st. For proceedings in process before that date, it is recommended to consult directly with the Provincial Court of Valencia or verify the distribution instructions that the court itself will issue during the adaptation period.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-14941