The report analyzes judicial rulings on enforced disappearance issued at both federal and state levels to assess whether they meet victims’ rights to truth, justice, and access to justice standards. It is part of the Observatory on Disappearance and Impunity in Mexico, which examines the State’s institutional responses to this crime.

The study reviews 28 court rulings from different states—a small number compared to the more than 70,000 missing persons nationwide. It finds that criminal courts still play a limited role in recognizing the phenomenon and delivering truth, justice, and reparation, largely due to ineffective investigations and minimal case prosecutions.

Drawing on Inter-American Court of Human Rights standards, the report analyzes how rulings address the search for missing persons, reparation for harm, and the evolving legal understanding of enforced disappearance in Mexico. It concludes that, despite formal progress, the judiciary remains a weak actor amid the disappearance crisis and must strengthen its role in upholding victims’ rights.