As a result of the changes introduced by the so-called Judicial Reform, which included, among other aspects, a reconfiguration of the internal structure of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), on September 4, 2025, the “General Agreement Number 1/2025 (12a.) of the Full Court of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, regulating the reception, registration, and assignment of matters under its jurisdiction” (the “Agreement”) was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation. The most relevant provisions include the following:
1. Implementation of an Automated Assignment System. The Agreement establishes the implementation of a technological system that will assign matters based on criteria such as the chronological order of filing and the voting outcome.
2. Forms and Hours of Filing. Matters submitted to the SCJN may be filed through the following channels:
a) In person. At the window of the Office of Judicial Certification and Correspondence, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with on-call service from 4:01 p.m. until midnight.
b) Judicial mailbox. Exclusively for electoral matters and constitutional challenges, available from 9:00 a.m. until midnight on non-business days.
c) Electronic media. Through platforms such as:
(i) SEPJF (Federal Judiciary Electronic System): For external parties and authorities, requiring an electronic signature.
(ii) MINTER-SCJN: Internal communication module between the SCJN and other entities within the Federal Judiciary.
(iii) Interconnection System for Authorities: For those authorities with an existing interconnection agreement.
d) Offices of Common Correspondence. At any Federal Judiciary location outside of Mexico City. These offices will electronically forward filings to the SCJN the following day and submit the original documents no later than the third business day after receipt.
3. Case Registration Form and Filing Record. Upon receipt of a filing, a case record will be generated, including key data and a QR code, enabling parties to consult the status of the filing and access relevant information.
4. Assignment to a Justice’s Office. The system will assign matters to each Justice’s Office according to the chronological order of filing and number of votes obtained by each Justice. Weekly assignments will be published via official electronic platforms. Exceptionally, related matters may be assigned non-randomly in the following scenarios:
a) Related Matters.
(i) Contradiction of Criteria. If the new matter involves the same legal issue as a previously registered one.
(ii) Clarification of Ruling. If the new matter requires clarification of a previously issued ruling, it will be assigned to the same Justice’s Office.
(iii) Connected Constitutional Controversies. Where two or more matters relate to the same legal issue or similar norms.
(iv) Follow-up Consultations. If the new consultation mirrors one already resolved by a Justice’s Office.
b) Reassignment of Matters.
(i) If, upon voting, the matter does not obtain the required majority for resolution, it will be reassigned for the drafting of a new ruling.
(ii) In the event that a recusal or excuse is upheld, the matter will be reassigned to another Justice’s Office.
c) Assignment Compensation. Certain compensations may be made between Justice’s Offices to distribute assignments more equitably among the Justices who formed part of the majority that adopted a particular decision.
5. Transitory Provisions. Among the transitory provisions of the Agreement, the following are noteworthy:
a) Implementation of the Automated System (thirty days). From the effective date of the Agreement, the SCJN will have thirty (30) calendar days to request the necessary adjustments from the Judicial Administration Body to implement the automated assignment system.
During this transition, manual assignment will continue, based on the chronological order of case filing and the votes obtained during the 2024–2025 Extraordinary Electoral Process.
b) For matters filed prior to September 2025, the following rules shall apply:
(i) Powers of Attraction and Reassumption. These matters will be scheduled for discussion in the earliest sessions of the SCJN Plenary.
(ii) Continuity of Previous Cases. Matters already assigned to a specific Justice’s Office will continue under the jurisdiction of the same Justice’s Office, without the need for a new reassignment order.
c) Finally, Justices María Estela Ríos González and Giovanni Azael Figueroa Mejía will receive the cases previously assigned to Justices Jorge Mario Pardo Rebolledo and Juan Luis González Alcántara Carrancá, respectively.
