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Judicial bodies
are:
• full court
• court en banc
• Council of Administration
Full court
Every court comprises a full court which is comprised
of all the judges of the court. A full court:
| 1) |
approves the division
of tasks plan of judges; |
| 2) |
provides an opinion to the Minister
of Justice on the appointment to office, and
in cases provided by law, also on the release
from office of the chairman of the court; |
| 3) |
makes recommendations to the
chairman of the court concerning issues related
to the organisation of work; |
| 4) |
performs other duties arising
from law and the internal rules of the court. |
Court en banc
The Court en banc is comprised of all Estonian
judges. The Court en banc is convened every
year on the second Friday of February. The extraordinary
Court en banc may be convened by the Minister
of Justice or the Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court.
Court en banc:
| 1) |
hears reports by
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and
the Minister of Justice concerning the development
of the legal and court system; |
| 2) |
discusses problems of administration
of justice and other issues concerning courts
and the work of judges; |
| 3) |
elects members and alternate
members of the Council for Administration
of Courts who are judges; |
| 4) |
elects five circuit court judges
and five judges of courts of first instance
to participate in the adjudication of disciplinary
matters in the Disciplinary Chamber of the
Supreme Court; |
| 5) |
elects members and alternate
members of the judge’s examination committee
who are judges; |
| 6) |
elects members and alternate
members of the assistant judge’s examination
committee who are judges; |
| 7) |
elects members and alternate
members of the training committee who are
judges; |
| 8) |
elects members and alternate
members of the court of honour of the Estonian
Bar Association, the advocates’ professional
suitability assessment committee, prosecutors'
competition and evaluation committee and sworn
translators examination committee who are
judges; |
| 9) |
approves the code of ethics
of judges. |
Council of Administration
Courts of the first instance and courts of appeal
are administered in co-operation between the Council
for Administration of Courts and the Ministry of
Justice.
Administration of courts ensures:
1) the possibility for independent administration
of justice;
2) the working conditions necessary for administration
of justice;
3) adequate training of court officers;
4) the availability of administration of justice.
The Council for Administration of Courts (hereinafter
Council) is comprised of the Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, five judges elected by the Court
en banc for three years, two members of the Riigikogu,
a sworn advocate appointed by the Board of the Bar
Association, the Chief Public Prosecutor or a public
prosecutor appointed by him or her, and the Chancellor
of Justice or a representative appointed by him
or her. The Minister of Justice or a representative
appointed by him or her shall participate in the
Council with the right to speak.
The council grants approval for:
| 1) |
the determination
of the territorial jurisdiction of courts
|
| 2) |
the determination of the structure
of courts |
| 3) |
the determination of the exact
location of courts and courthouses |
| 4) |
the determination of the number
of judges in courts and judges in permanent
service in a courthouse; |
| 5) |
the appointment to office and
premature release of chairmen of courts |
| 6) |
the determination of the number
of lay judges |
| 7) |
the determination of the internal
rules of courts |
| 8) |
the determination of the number
of candidates for judicial office |
| 9) |
the determination of additional
remuneration for a manager of courthouse |
| 10) |
the establishing of the composition
of the register data of the courts information
system and the procedure for the submission
thereof |
| 11) |
the conscription of judges into
active service in the defence forces. |
The Council provides a preliminary opinion on the
principles of the formation and amendment of annual
budgets of courts. The Council:
| 1) |
provides an opinion
on the candidates for a vacant position of
a justice of the Supreme Court; |
| 2) |
provide an opinion on the release
of a judge; |
| 3) |
deliberates, in advance, the
review to be presented to the Riigikogu by
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court concerning
courts administration, administration of justice
and the uniform application of law (subsection
27 (3)); |
| 4) |
discusses other issues at the
initiative of the Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court or the Minister of Justice. |
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