Judicial Organisation
Structure of the courts
Understand the court system: the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the courts of appeal, the provincial and municipal courts, and the specialised courts (administrative, labour, tax, military). Know the hierarchy and the rules on competence by subject matter, value, and territory.
Judicial actors
Learn the roles of judges, the Public Prosecutor, and court clerks, and the rules on conflicts of jurisdiction and on the recusal and removal of judges. Understand the principle of the natural judge and the public nature of hearings.
Traps
Questions test which court has competence for a given matter (value and subject matter) and the difference between a conflict of jurisdiction and a conflict of competences. Watch for confusion between the Supreme Court as first instance and as appellate court.
Worked rule
To determine the competent court, apply the criteria in order: subject matter, then value, then territory. If two courts claim competence, the conflict is resolved by the immediately superior court.