Council for the Selection of Judges
Function
The Council for the Selection of Judges is a collegial body that runs competitive selection and verifies candidates' qualifications, professional experience, integrity and absence of disqualifying circumstances. It reviews documents, conducts testing and interviews, checks conflicts of interest and recommends candidates for judicial appointment. It does not hear cases, supervise court work or impose disciplinary sanctions.
Selection standards
- Open competition and equal access to judicial office.
- Verification of citizenship, education, legal experience and clean record.
- Assessment of legal knowledge, reasoning and ethical fitness.
- Transparent reasons for recommendation or rejection.
Worked example
A candidate omits that a close relative is a court chairman. The Council discovers the fact during integrity checks. Because the omission affects impartiality assessment, the Council should verify whether recusal rules or incompatibility rules apply, give the candidate a chance to explain, and record reasons. Concealment can justify rejection even if the relative would not automatically disqualify the candidate.
Traps
The Council recommends; it generally does not make the final political appointment. It is not a disciplinary body or a court of appeal. A high test score does not cure an integrity defect. Do not confuse the Council with the Council of Judges or with the Constitutional Court.