Panamas justice system ranked near bottom

JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE in Panama is lower than that in countries like Ethiopia, Albania and Zimbabwe says The World Economic Forum (WEF). Panama is ranked 132 out of 144.

in its Global Competitiveness Report for 2013 the WEF calls corruption and inefficient government bureaucracy as two of the most important challenges in the field of competitive development.
A study by the Department of State of the United States, called the Panamanian judicial system "weak" and cited reviews compiled by the Congressional Research Service include the nomination of "political allies" of the current administration as members of the Judicial leadership.
While the rate of resolution of conflicts the judiciary continues to fall, it solved only 43% of existing cases in 2012. In 2007, the rate of resolution of existing cases was 50%. La Prensa comments that investment in institutional development in Panama has a long way to go. Although the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has operated since 2007 a program with the state to improve access to justice and strengthening judicial institutions, several international organizations still are concerned about the shortcomings in the administration of justice in the country.