Ombudsman demands answers on guardianship delays

The Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman has intervened in an issue concerning long processing times at the Familieretshuset, the public authority for family law, following reports of cases involving guardianship taking up to two and a half years. Guardianship allows a guardian to act on behalf of another person. The Ombudsman stated that several complaints about these delays have been received. Familieretshuset acknowledged their administration of guardianship cases was extremely critical and bordering on maladministration. The increase in guardianship cases by 51% over five years has been cited as a cause. The Ombudsman is now seeking information on case handling times and improvements to reduce delays, expecting a response by the end of September. Familieretshuset was established in 2019, replacing the Statsforvaltningen.