Guide to Court Procedure and Timelines
The first question anyone has going into a lawsuit is how long it will take, and the answer depends heavily on the type of case and the court level. This page covers what each level is and how long each one takes on average.
What is a court level?
Korea uses a three-tier system: a case can be argued up to three times. The first instance makes the initial ruling, an appeal reviews it if either side objects, and a final appeal (heard by the Supreme Court) settles any remaining legal questions. Each level up takes more time, so reaching a final, unappealable outcome takes longer the further a case goes.
What processing time means
Processing time is the average number of days from filing to judgment at that court level. It's an average, so individual cases vary a lot: more issues, expert opinions, or witness examinations make it much longer, and a simple case is shorter. Treat the numbers below as a rough sense of scale rather than a promise.
Average processing time by case type (2024)
Every figure is the average number of days from filing to judgment; time to final judgment runs from the first filing to the final outcome. Pick a case on the home screen for an easier view of the same numbers.
| Case type | First instance | Appeal | Final appeal | To final judgment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil (panel division) | 437.3d | 313.8d | 521.1d | 1,271.1d |
| Civil (single judge) | 222.1d | 327.5d | 99.9d | 971.3d |
| Civil (small claims) | 134.1d | 327.5d | 99.9d | - |
| Criminal, panel division (not in custody) | 219.7d | 205.8d | 139.8d | 585.6d |
| Criminal, single judge (not in custody) | 189.2d | 286.4d | 95.1d | 584.3d |
| Family litigation | 310.8d | 265.5d | 89.4d | - |
| Administrative litigation | 355d | 280d | 121d | - |
- Civil (panel division) A first-instance civil case heard by a three-judge panel because the amount at stake or the issues are substantial. First-instance average: about 1y 2mo.
- Civil (single judge) A general first-instance civil case heard by a single judge (larger than small-claims). First-instance average: about 7.3 months.
- Civil (small claims) A small-claims civil case for amounts up to 30 million won (the most common type of civil suit). First-instance average: about 4.4 months.
- Criminal, panel division (not in custody) A serious first-instance criminal case heard by a three-judge panel, figures for a defendant not held in custody. First-instance average: about 7.2 months.
- Criminal, single judge (not in custody) A general first-instance criminal case heard by a single judge, figures for a defendant not held in custody. First-instance average: about 6.2 months.
- Family litigation Family litigation such as divorce, custody, and property division, figures for cases ending in a judgment. First-instance average: about 10.2 months.
- Administrative litigation Administrative litigation challenging a decision by the state or a local government, figures for cases ending in a judgment. First-instance average: about 11.7 months.
This app does not evaluate individuals
This app does not evaluate or rank any specific judge or court. It only gathers public statistics (averages by case type) that would otherwise be scattered and hard for one person to collect. Source: Supreme Court of Korea, 2025 Judicial Yearbook (figures for 2024); we checked the original document on 2026-09-03.