CBOS poll: 61 percent of Poles misjudge justice

Justice survey gave 61% negative and 26% positive. The Social Opinion investigation Centre published these data on 11 August 2026 in Communication No 84/2026, 4 years after the measurement, in which 55 percent of respondents misjudged. The biggest problem remains the chronicity of proceedings – it was pointed out by 38 percent of respondents.

Justice misjudges 61 percent of Poles

Definitely the mediocre functioning of the judiciary is estimated by 22% of respondents, alternatively by 39%. On the affirmative side, 24 percent indicated the consequence "preferably well", and 2 percent "decisively well". There are no 13 percent sentences. Interviews were conducted from 11 to 21 June 2026 on a example of 991 adult Poles.

Two thirds of talks (66.4%) were held by CAPI method, 16.3% by telephone (CATI), and 17.3% by net (CAWI). The same studio published in July 2026. ranking of assurance in politicians.

The erstwhile measurement dates from June 2022.

Poles justice the justice strategy worse than 4 years ago: the percent of negative assessments increased by 6 percent points and the percent of people without an opinion dropped by 4 points.

The functioning of justice is mostly perceived negatively

Prosperity of proceedings is the main problem of justice

The question of the most crucial problem was open – the respondents answered in their own words. The dimension of proceedings indicated 38 percent, more than twice as much as politicising the judiciary – 18 percent. Unfair sentences were given by 10%, political conflict around the judiciary – 9%.

Interest continues to decline rapidly: besides low penalties and corruption indicated 5% of respondents, nepotism 4%. No problem could be mentioned by 23 percent of respondents.

Judicial statistic go the same way. The "Rzeczpospolita" diary in the balance sheet of Waldemar Żurka's first year of office stated that in 2025 the average waiting time for the ruling at first instance was 1 period longer than 1 year earlier and nearly six months longer than in 2011.

The top problems of justice in the survey of 11-21 June 2026. Data: Social Opinion investigation Centre, Communication No 84/2026

Every another individual under examination is not certain that the judges are innocent

When asked about independence, 50% of respondents replied that judges sometimes keep it like this, sometimes not. That they are independent, thinks 18 percent of respondents, the other opinion is 21 percent, including 4% claiming that independency never exists. Without an opinion, 11 percent remain.

The attitude towards the judges themselves is milder: 49 percent of respondents, affirmative 19%, negative 23 percent talk of them neutrally.

In the last 5 years, 35 percent of respondents had contact with the court: 19 percent personally, 20 percent by household or friends. In this group of negative assessments is 51%, affirmative 43%. The difference falls from 35 to 8 percent points – a sharper court spends those who were not in court.

Waldemar Żurek has led the Ministry of Justice since 24 July 2025.

Waldemar Żurek, justice of the Krakow territory Court, took office on 24 July 2025 and links him with the function of lawyer General. He replaced Adam Bodnar, who led the hotel since December 2023. The interviews were conducted little than a year after this shift.

After his appointment, Minister of Justice Waldemar Żurek identified the regulation of law as the direction of the ministry's work.

Restore the regulation of law, reconstruct the rules of 3 divisions of power

Communication No 84/2026 does not rise questions about the assessment of the minister's work.

What is simply a long-term complaint

An action against the dimension of proceedings is simply a letter in which the organization requests that its case be held longer than essential and asks for money for that delay. It is based on the Act of 17 June 2004 on a complaint against a breach of the party's right to examine a case in a preparatory procedure or supervised by the prosecutor and judicial proceedings without undue delay.

The complaint is examined by the court superior to the 1 before whom the case is pending – the hold in the territory court is assessed by the court of appeal, for example Court of Appeal in Łódź. The judgement shall be given within 2 months of the date of the complaint.

The fixed fee is PLN 200 and returns to the complainant erstwhile the court dismisses or rejects the application. Taking into account the complaint, the court grants PLN 2000 to 20 000, at least PLN 500 for each year of the erstwhile proceedings.

Reform of the Polish judiciary unsolvable

The Council of Ministers adopted on 23 December 2025 a draft regulation of law law governing the position of judges appointed after 2017. The diary “Rzeczpospolita” in summary of Waldemar Żurka's year of work wrote that the task was stuck in parliament to the expected veto of president Karol Nawrocki.

The same editorial board stated that the president had vetoed the improvement of the National Judiciary Council and the changes in the criminal procedure and did not take a vow from the 5 recently elected judges to sit in Constitutional Court.

The time limit for the next measurement of the laboratory was not specified; earlier studies were conducted in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2022.

Frequently asked questions

Who did the justice poll?

The survey was conducted by the Centre for Social Opinion investigation and the results were described in Communication No 84/2026 of 11 August 2026, signed by Michał Felixiak and Jan Kujawski. Interviews were conducted from 11 to 21 June 2026 on a example of 991 people by CAPI, CATI and CAVI methods.

How do Poles justice the independency of judges?

Half of the respondents believe that judges hold independency sometimes yes, sometimes no. 18 percent of respondents are convinced of full independence, and 21 percent believe that judges are subject to pressure, including 4%, that they are never. There is no 11 percent sentence.

How much is simply a long-term complaint?

The fixed fee shall be PLN 200 and the court shall return it of its own motion if the application is taken into account or rejected. After uncovering that he is chronic, he grants the applicant between 2000 and 20 000 PLN, not little than 500 PLN for each year of the case. The ruling will be filed within 2 months.