The Organismo Judicial (OJ) directs users to its Portal de servicios electrónicos to consult electronic notifications. Its official portal lists PBX:22904444 and assistance at 2415-3400.
- OJ Portal — institutional site, court directory, judgments, jurisprudence
- OJ Virtual — check electronic case file status, view notifications
- CAPE — Judicial Clearance Certificate (about Q30, online immediate)
- E-Filing Cabinet — receive digital judicial notifications
The Organismo Judicial (OJ) is Guatemala’s judicial branch — administering justice through the Supreme Court (CSJ), Courts of Appeals, Trial Courts (Civil, Criminal, Family, Labor, Commercial), Justices of the Peace (Juzgados de Paz) and specialized courts. For ordinary citizens, the OJ is where you sue for divorce, child support, debts, inheritance; where you obtain judicial clearance certificates (CAPE); and where criminal cases proceed once the Public Ministry (MP) has filed charges.
Quick rule: Need a judicial clearance for a job or foreign residency? → CAPE online at cape.oj.gob.gt (about Q30, immediate). Spouse refuses to divorce? → Family Court (not notary). Someone owes you money with documentation? → Civil Executive Lawsuit. Ex-spouse not paying child support? → Child support lawsuit in Family Court (USAC free).
Quick summary — official contact details
Contact details checked 23 October 2026. Sources: OJ portal and Casillero Electrónico.
| Contact | Official detail |
|---|---|
| Central telephone | PBX:22904444 |
| Portal telephone extension | Ext. 2911 |
| Assistance | 2415-3400 |
| Address | 21 Calle 7-70 Zona 1. Centro Cívico, Palacio de Justicia |
| Office hours | Lunes - Viernes: 8:00am - 3:30pm |
| Electronic-notification support | 22904444 ext 2564, 24153400 |
| Electronic-notification email | notificacioneselectronicas@oj.gob.gt |
Where to consult electronic notifications
On the official Casillero Electrónico page, follow Portal de servicios electrónicos to https://portal.oj.gob.gt. The page directs users there to consult electronic notifications. For questions or help, use 22904444 ext 2564, 24153400 or notificacioneselectronicas@oj.gob.gt.
Organismo Judicial sub-portals
| Portal | Purpose |
|---|---|
| portal.oj.gob.gt | Institutional site — court directory, jurisprudence, judgments, news |
| OJ Virtual | Electronic case file lookup, filing of motions, hearing schedule |
| cape.oj.gob.gt | CAPE — Judicial Clearance Certificate (about Q30, online) |
| External Inquiries | Public case status check (no login required) |
| Casillero Electronico | Electronic judicial notifications — replaces paper service |
| Administrative Services | Notary book authorization, seals, special stamped paper |
| Court Directory | Find competent court by subject matter and territory |
| CENADOJ (National Center for Judicial Analysis & Documentation) | Jurisprudence, published judgments, library |
Most-searched OJ trámites — by audience
For families (Family Courts)
| Trámite | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Child & Spousal Support Lawsuit | Private fees vary; no court fee | Varies by court |
| Oral Child Support Proceeding | USAC free / private fees vary | Varies by court |
| Judicial Divorce (Contested) | Lawyer fees agreed within the Arancel (no court fee) | No fixed total; answer term 9 days (Procedure Code Art. 111) |
For civil and commercial matters (Civil Courts)
| Trámite | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Debt Collection Lawsuit (Executive) | Q1,500-Q15,000 lawyer fees (no court fee) | 8-24 months |
For criminal matters and clearances
| Trámite | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| OJ-CAPE Judicial Clearance Certificate | About Q30 | Immediate (online) |
For lawyers and notaries (B2B)
| Trámite | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Notary Registration before the OJ | Q255 cash at the OJ treasury (CANG bar registration separate) | Swearing-in date notified by email |
| Electronic Judicial Mailbox (Casillero Electrónico) | Free (no published fee) | Assigned on completing enrollment |
For international cases
| Trámite | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| International Judicial Requests (USA → GT) | Variable + MINEX apostille | Varies by case |
Quick map — which court do I go to?
| Type of issue | Competent court |
|---|---|
| Divorce, child support, custody, adoption, domestic violence | Family Court |
| Debt collection, contracts, inheritance, property | Civil Court |
| Criminal accusation by MP, conviction sentencing | Criminal Trial Court |
| Labor dispute, unfair dismissal, severance | Labor & Social Welfare Court |
| Mercantile sales/purchase, corporations, trademarks, bankruptcy | Civil & Commercial Court |
| Misdemeanors, flagrancy, first criminal triage | Justice of the Peace (24/7) |
| Adolescents in conflict with criminal law | Children & Adolescents Court |
| Traffic disputes (fines, administrative accidents) | Traffic Court |
| Appeals from First Instance judgments | Court of Appeals Chamber |
Diaspora — Guatemalans and US courts
CAPE for residency and foreign jobs
Many foreign consulates in Guatemala and employers in USA/Canada/Europe require the CAPE (OJ Judicial Clearance) IN ADDITION to the MINGOB document. They are TWO DIFFERENT documents. CAPE is obtained online at cape.oj.gob.gt — about Q30 (no gratuity law in force), immediate. If you need an apostille for foreign use: MINEX Apostille (Q75, Q85 with timbres — Acuerdo Gubernativo 35-2024; MINEX publishes no processing time).
Not for a US immigrant visa: for an immigrant visa at the US Embassy in Guatemala City, the State Department says the Ministerio Público’s “Antecedentes” “is the only police certificate/criminal history document from Guatemala that will be accepted” — see immigrant visa interview in Guatemala City.
Divorces when one spouse lives in the USA
If you or your spouse lives in the USA, Guatemalan judicial divorce is perfectly possible:
- The party in the USA grants special power of attorney before a notary at a Guatemalan consulate
- A lawyer in Guatemala receives the power and files the lawsuit in Family Court
- The party in the USA does NOT need to physically appear — the lawyer represents
- The judgment is recorded with RENAP and, if needed in the USA, apostilled at MINEX
- For the judgment to have effect in the USA, it must be domesticated in the corresponding state court
See: Judicial Divorce OJ and MINEX Apostille.
US courts seeking notifications or witnesses in Guatemala
If a US court needs to notify a Guatemalan resident in Guatemala, summon witnesses, or take deposition from a Guatemalan for a US case, it must use International Judicial Requests (Exhortos). The process flows like this:
- The US court issues the letter rogatory (exhorto)
- Sent through the channel the applicable treaty provides, or diplomatically (US State Department → US Embassy in Guatemala → Foreign Ministry (MINEX))
- MINEX forwards to the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala
- CSJ designates competent Guatemalan court for execution
- Total time: varies; it can take months
See full guide: International Judicial Requests OJ.
Child support when the father lives in the USA
Possible and very common. The custodial mother in Guatemala files in Family Court. The challenge is service and collection:
- If the father has known US address: notification via international letter rogatory
- If the father eventually returns to Guatemala and a final judgment or agreement is unpaid: a criminal complaint for negación de asistencia económica is possible (Penal Code Art. 242) (corrected 24 September 2026; an earlier version described an “apremio corporal” jailing him until payment)
- If the father has assets in Guatemala: the judge can attach them
- There is no Guatemala–US child-support arrangement: Guatemala is not on the US government’s list of countries with child-support arrangements (updated 15 September 2026) and is not a Hague 2007 Child Support Convention party. See enforcing a US child support order in Guatemala (corrected 23 September 2026; an earlier version said UIFSA agreements allowed bilateral enforcement)
Before filing any lawsuit — checklist
| Have it ready | Why |
|---|---|
| Current DPI (plaintiff) | Mandatory ID for any process |
| Defendant’s identity document | DPI or passport if foreign — without it, hard to serve notice |
| Defendant’s address | If unknown, notification gets harder and the case can be delayed; the claim can state that the address is unknown |
| Documents proving your right | Marriage certificate (divorce), birth certificate (support), promissory note (debt), etc. |
| Special power of attorney | If you live in the USA and want a lawyer to act for you — notarial at consulate |
| Lawyer fees | Q500-Q15,000 by complexity — get written quote |
| Court fees | None to file: “La justicia es gratuita e igual para todos, salvo lo relacionado con las costas judiciales” (Judicial Branch Law Art. 57) — the losing party can be ordered to pay costs; lawyer fees and certified copies are paid (corrected 24 September 2026; an earlier version said 1-2% of the claim value) |
| USAC Legal Aid Clinics | If you cannot pay a lawyer — free for family and small civil cases |
Free legal aid
| Institution | For which cases | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| USAC Bufetes Populares | Family, small civil, labor | Free (supervised students) |
| DEMI — Indigenous Women’s Defense Office | Indigenous women’s matters | Free |
| PDH — Human Rights Ombudsman | Rights violations by the State | Free (orientation) |
| IDPP — Public Criminal Defense Institute | Criminal defense if you can’t pay | Free (constitutional right) |
| PGN — Attorney General’s Office | Children, adolescents, missing persons | Free |
Contact Organismo Judicial
| Channel | Detail |
|---|---|
| Central PBX | 22904444 |
| Administrative hours | Monday to Friday 8:00-15:30 |
| Justices of the Peace | 24 hours / 7 days (flagrancy and emergencies) |
| Address | 21 Calle 7-70 Zona 1, Centro Civico, Palacio de Justicia, Guatemala City |
| Portal | portal.oj.gob.gt |
| Public Information | Requests via portal or in person |
More Guatemalan State resources
- MINGOB Guatemala — Police Records (the MINGOB ones, different from CAPE), police, immigration
- MINEX Apostille — Apostille for OJ documents going abroad
- MP — Public Ministry — Criminal complaints (step before criminal trial in OJ)
- RENAP Guatemala — DPI, birth certificates (needed for many lawsuits)
- MINGOB Police Records — the other clearance document (the MINGOB one)
- Guatemala Trámites — full directory of state services