Objective. Determining the existence of a relationship between judicial performance and citizens’ trust in the legal system. Method. Cross-classified multilevel models, using data from more than 20 European countries, 80 surveys, and 100,000 respondents, over a decade. Results. The longer the time that lower courts take, on average, to dispose of pending cases, the lower is the public’s trust in their legal system. Conclusion. Judicial performance, operationalized as the ability of courts to avoid delays in the delivery of justice, is a significant correlate of citizens’ evaluations of their country’s legal system.