STATE: Judiciary

Judiciary

  •   The Court System
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    The independence of the judiciary is guaranteed by law.
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    The State - The Supreme Court The State - The Supreme Court
    Aerial view of the Supreme Court Building (Photo: GPO / A. Ohayon)
     

    ​The independence of the judiciary is guaranteed by law. Judges are appointed by the president, upon recommendation of a nominations committee comprised of Supreme Court judges, members of the bar, and public figures. Appointments are permanent, with mandatory retirement at age 70.

     
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  • The Court System

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    ​Special Courts (1 judge) 

    Traffic, labor, juvenile, military and municipal courts, with clearly defined jurisdiction; administrative tribunals.​

    Religious Courts (1 or 3 judges)
    Jurisdiction in matters of personal status (marriage, divorce, maintenance, guardianship, adoption) vested in judicial institutions of the respective religious communities: Jewish rabbinical courts, Muslim sharia courts, Druze religious courts, ecclesiastical courts of the ten recognized Christian communities in Israel.

    Magistrates’ Court (1 judge)
    Civil and minor criminal offenses; jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases.

    District Court (1 or 3 judges)
    Appellate jurisdiction over magistrates’ courts; original jurisdiction in more important civil and criminal cases.

    Supreme Court (1, 3, 5 or a larger uneven number of judges)
    Ultimate appellate jurisdiction nationwide; right to address issues when necessary to intervene for the sake of justice; authority to release persons illegally detained or imprisoned; sitting as a High Court of Justice, hears petitions against any government body or agent and is the court of first and last instance.

    President Shimon Peres with justices of the Supreme Court - 28 Feb 2012 (Photo: GPO)
    President Shimon Peres with justices of the Supreme Court - 28 Feb 2012 (Photo: GPO)