Kristi Jakobsoo
Human resources specialist at the Supreme Court
Ave Hussar
Head of the Personnel and Communication Department of the Supreme Court
Number of judges and justices
There are 249 judge and justice positions in Estonia, 256 positions together with the so-called temporary judge positions[1] and those with temporary specifications[2]. Of these,[3] 240 were filled at the beginning of 2026. There was one vacancy in the Supreme Court, two in the Tallinn Circuit Court, six in the Harju District Court, four in the Tartu District Court and three in the Viru District Court.
Gender structure of judges
There are 165 women and 75 men in office as of 1 January 2026.
Age of judges
The average age of judges in office as of 1 January 2026 was 48.7 years.
The largest numbers of judges in office are aged 40-49 (88) and 50-59 (also 88). They are followed in number by those aged 30-39 (41). Those who have reached the age of 60 (23) make up the smallest part. There are no judges under the age of 30.
Renewal of the judiciary
At the turn of the year, there were 15 judges eligible for retirement, one of whom is known to be retiring in 2026. It is worth noting that more than half of the judges in office at the beginning of 2026 (141 judges or 59%) will not have the right to receive a judge’s pension.[4]
In 2026, four judges will become eligible for retirement, one of whom has expressed the desire to retire. Thus, two judges will retire in 2026, according to current data. In 2027, there will be four more judges eligible for retirement, two of whom have already expressed their wish to exercise this right. A total of 35 judges will become eligible for retirement between 2026 and 2031.
Judges who left office
Last year, 13 judges left office: one from the Supreme Court, two from the Tallinn Circuit Court, two from the Tartu Circuit Court, two from the Harju District Court, one from the Tartu District Court, four from the Viru District Court and one from the Tallinn Administrative Court.
Due to retirement, judges Ingeri Tamm and Üllar Roostoja of the Tartu Circuit Court, judges Maido Roots 🕯 , Aarne Lõhmus and Olev Mihkelson of the Viru District Court, judges Eha Popova and Piret Rõuk of the Harju District Court, judge Rita Kulberg of the Tartu District Court and judge Enno Loonurm of the Tallinn Administrative Court were granted discharges. Supreme Court Justice Urmas Volens 🕯 and district court judges Maris Kuurberg and Neve Uudelt left their positions at their own request. Judge Andres Hallmägi of the Viru District Court was removed from office.
New judges and transfers
In 2025, 6 new judges joined the judiciary, two of them in Harju District Court, three in Viru District Court and one in Tallinn Administrative Court. At the same time, three judges were transferred within the court system: Aleksandr Kondrašov, who had been working as a judge of the Harju District Court, took up his post as a judge of the Tallinn Circuit Court, and Marina Ninaste and Hele Kaldma, who had been working as judges of the Tartu District Court, took up their posts as judges of the Tartu Circuit Court.
Jüri-Karl Leppik and Priit Palmiste started their service at the Harju District Court, Triin Maksing, Maris Möls and Mari-Ann Veiermann at the Viru District Court and Janno Voog at the Tallinn Administrative Court. Before being appointed as judges, three of them worked as judicial clerks and three as sworn advocates.
In 2025, there were two hiring rounds for three judge positions in the first and second instance courts. For an overview of these hiring rounds, see the article on the activities of the judicial examination committee.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Villu Kõve, announced a hiring round for the position of the Justice of the Supreme Court (Civil Chamber) on 31 March 2025. Martin Triipan, former sworn advocate, was selected from among three candidates and took up his post as a Justice of the Supreme Court on 9 March 2026.
Between 2021 and 2025, 65 new judges took up their posts. Thus, more than a quarter of the judges in office at the beginning of 2026 have started their service in the last five years.
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[1] If a judge is absent from duty for a long period, an additional judge may be appointed. For this reason, the number of judges may be temporarily increased by up to five in the Harju District Court and by one in the Tartu District Court
[2] There may be 17 judges in the Tartu Circuit Court until the end of 2030.
[3] Starting from 2023, data are submitted as of the turn of the year.
[4] Pursuant to section 1322 of the Courts Act, judges who took office after 1 July 2013 are not entitled to a judges’ pension.