The High Court of Justice appoints substitute justice of the peace for Montejaque

The High Court of Justice has formalized the appointment of a substitute justice of the peace for the municipality of Montejaque, according to the announcement published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Málaga on October 28, 2026. The designation is recorded in the second section of the gazette, reserved for announcements from the judicial body, under the official reference Edict 3871/2026. With this position, the substitution for the titular justice is covered in a municipality that had already had its titular justice of the peace since the previous day.

Justices of the peace are the first instance of the administration of justice in municipalities where there is no court of first instance and instruction. Their appointment is the responsibility of the Governing Chamber of the High Court of Justice upon the proposal of the respective city council, and their function focuses on small claims, conciliations, and certain voluntary jurisdiction proceedings. The announcement is framed within the Organic Law of the Judiciary and the Regulations for Justices of the Peace, which establish a four-year term for these honorary positions.

The summary of the provincial gazette lists the announcement with the geographical heading Granada (Granada), seat of the High Court of Justice, and the title “Appointment of substitute Justice of the Peace of Montejaque.” The summary line does not identify the appointed person, a detail that appears in the full text of the edict.

A trickle of appointments in the same issue

The second section of the October 28 gazette includes a single announcement from the High Court of Justice, dedicated precisely to the substitute position in Montejaque. The edict is part of a sequence of resolutions from the same body published on consecutive days:

• Edict 3870/2026, of October 26, 2026: appointment of substitute justice of the peace of Nerja.
• Edict 3872/2026, of October 27, 2026: appointment of titular justice of the peace of Montejaque.
• Edict 3871/2026, of October 28, 2026: appointment of substitute justice of the peace of Montejaque.

The numbering of the edicts does not follow the chronological order of publication, as the one corresponding to the substitute position (3871) is numerically prior to that of the titular position (3872) but appears a day later in the gazette. This circumstance is common in announcements sent by the same body, which are registered by order of entry and distributed according to the closing of each issue.

Montejaque resolves its coverage in two days

The municipality of Montejaque has seen the publication of the two appointments that make up its proximity justice structure in just 48 hours: first that of the titular justice of the peace on October 27, and now that of the substitute. The coexistence of both figures is the standard formula to guarantee the continuity of the service when the titular person is absent, ill, or must recuse themselves from a specific matter.

The substitute position does not imply a permanent office or a continuous workload. Its holder assumes the functions of the titular justice of the peace in cases of vacancy, absence, or impossibility, which in small municipalities prevents the activity of the body from being interrupted and prevents residents from having to travel to the head of the judicial district for procedures that the law reserves for the justice of the peace.

Procedures that depend on this position

Among the competencies assumed by the designated person are the conciliation proceedings prior to certain civil procedures, the celebration of civil marriages when entrusted to do so, and civil registry actions under the terms provided by the regulations. They are also responsible for the functions of assistance and collaboration with the courts of the district.

• Conciliations in low-value civil matters.
• Voluntary jurisdiction actions attributed by law.
• Celebration of civil marriages, following delegation.
• Collaboration with the judicial bodies of the district.

The appointment becomes effective upon its publication in the official bulletin, which is the required publicity instrument for these designations and the starting point for the deadlines for any claim or taking of office.

With the publication of Edict 3871/2026, Montejaque completes its justice of the peace staff and ensures the continuity of the service in the body that resolves everyday conflicts of minor entity. For the residents, the news translates into the possibility of continuing to process conciliations and proximity actions without traveling, while the city council sees the resolution of a position whose coverage depends on the High Court of Justice and not on the municipal corporation.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Málaga, October 28, 2026, 2nd section (High Court of Justice) (official reference: Edict 3871/2026).