Supreme Court of Chile explained

Location:Santiago
Coordinates:-33.4392°N -70.6532°W
Type:Ministers are nominated by the Court itself, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate
Authority:Constitution of Chile
Terms:75 years old or until ceasing in good conduct
Positions:21
Chiefjudgetitle:President of the Supreme Court
Chiefjudgename:Ricardo Blanco Herrera
Termstart:2024

The Supreme Court of Chile is the highest court in Chile. It also administers the lower courts in the nation. It is located in the capital Santiago.

In the Chilean system, the court lacks the broader power of judicial review—it cannot set binding precedent or invalidate laws. Instead, it acts on a case-by-case basis. Trials are carried out in salas, chambers of at least five judges, presided over by the most senior member.

Membership

The members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President from a list of five choices prepared by the sitting members of the court. Two of the choices must be senior judges from appellate courts; the other three may have no judicial experience. The president's choice must then be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the Senate.

Supreme Court justices must be at least 36 years old. Once appointed, a Chilean Supreme Court justice is entitled to remain on the Court until the compulsory retirement age of 75. The only exception is if a justice can be removed by "notorious abandonment of duty," as deemed by a majority of both chambers of Congress.

See main article: List of presidents of Supreme Court (Chile).

Current Supreme Court members

The Supreme Court has twenty-one members, called ministers (ministros). One member is selected to serve a two-year term as President of the Supreme Court. The composition of the Supreme Court changes relatively quickly, as judges attain the retirement age of 75. This list was last updated on the 21st of August 2023.[1]

Justice End of mandate
Juan Eduardo Fuentes Belamar (President) 2024
Sergio Manuel Muñoz Gajardo2032
Haroldo Osvaldo Brito Cruz 2023
Ricardo Luis Hernán Blanco Herrera 2029
Gloria Ana Chevesich Ruiz2028
Andrea María Mercedes Muñoz Sánchez2032
Manuel Antonio Valderrama Rebolledo2031
Jorge Gonzalo Dahm Oyarzún2023
Arturo Jose Prado Puga2030
Angela Francisca Vivanco Martínez2038
Mauricio Alonso Silva Cancino 2028
María Angélica Cecilia Repetto García2028
Leopoldo Andrés Llanos Sagrista Unknown
Adelita Inés Ravanales Arriagada 2039
Mario Rolando Carroza Espinosa 2026
María Teresa de Jesús Letelier Ramírez 2025
Jean Pierre Matus Acuna 2042
Maria Cristina Gajardo Harboe Unknown
Carlos Ramón Aránguiz Zúñiga 2028
Diego Gonzalo Simpértigue Limare 2031
Maria Soledad Melo Labra Unknown

Notable decisions

Augusto Pinochet

See also: Chile under Pinochet and Human rights in Chile. The Chilean Supreme Court has been involved in many important human rights cases regarding the former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.

Gay rights

See main article: LGBT rights in Chile. The Chilean Supreme Court has made controversial decisions in the area of gay rights.

Women's health

Alberto Fujimori

On September 21, 2007, the court accepted Peru's request to extradite former president Alberto Fujimori, on human rights and corruption charges.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Judiciary of the Republic of Chile (Poder Judicial de la República de Chile) . 21 August 2023 . es.