Supreme Court of Justice (Portugal) explained

Court Name:Supreme Court of Justice
Established:1822
Jurisdiction:Portugal
Location:Lisbon
Type:60 judges appointed on selection, 4 military judges appointed on proposal by the Military Staff
Authority:Portuguese Constitution
Terms:Appointed for life until retired
Positions:64
Appealsto:Constitutional Court, on matters of constitutionality
Appealsfrom:Courts of Appeal and First Instance Courts
Chiefjudgetitle:President of the Supreme Court of Justice
Chiefjudgename:Henrique Luís de Brito de Araújo
Termstart:18 May 2021[1]
Chiefjudgetitle2:Vice-President of the Supreme Court of Justice
Chiefjudgename2:Maria dos Prazeres Pizarro Beleza
Termstart2:25 October 2018
Chiefjudgetitle3:Vice-President of the Supreme Court of Justice
Chiefjudgename3:Nuno António Gonçalves
Termstart3:16 September 2021

The Supreme Court of Justice (Portuguese: Supremo Tribunal de Justiça, pronounced as /pt/, STJ) is the highest court of law in Portugal without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court.

The judges of the STJ are referred to as "counselors" (conselheiros). Its president is elected by and from among the judges of the court.

The STJ is installed in the buildings of the northern wing of the Terreiro do Paço square in Lisbon.

Competences

The competences of the Supreme Court of Justice are the following:

History

The Supreme Court of Justice was created by the Constitution of 1822 and installed eleven years after,[2] in the scope of the separation of the judicial power from the others, dictated by the establishment of the Portuguese Constitutional Monarchy.

The STJ replaced the ancient higher courts of the kingdom, namely the Board of Conscience and Orders (Mesa da Consciência e Ordens) created in 1532, the Desembargo of the Palace (Desembargo do Paço) regulated in 1533 and the Council of State (Conselho de Estado) regulated in 1562. The judges of the STJ inherited the title of "counselors" until then worn by the members of the Board of Conscience and Orders and of the Council of State.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Declaração n.º 48/2021. Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, S.A. - Diário da República n.º 101/2021, Série I, de 25 de maio. 16 September 2023.
  2. Web site: História do Supremo Tribunal de Justiça (in Portuguese). 16 September 2023.