Constitutional Court of Slovakia


The Constitutional Court of Slovakia is a special court established by the Constitution of Slovakia. Its seat is in Košice in eastern Slovakia. Its head is Ivan Fiačan.

Tasks

The basic standing of the Court and its judges is regulated by the Constitution. It rules on the compatibility of laws, decrees and legal regulations with the Constitution. It also decides on disputes between bodies of state administration, unless if the law specifies that these disputes are decided by another state body, complaints against legally valid decisions of state bodies, elections, referenda etc., and is the only court that can sue the President of Slovakia.
The court initiates proceedings on the basis of proposal by: at least one-fifth deputies of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, the President of Slovakia, the Government of Slovakia, a court, the general prosecutor or anyone in the case of constitutional complaints.

Judges

Originally, the Court had ten judges appointed for seven years by the President, who selects them from the double number of candidates chosen by the National Council.
After a constitutional amendment in 2001, it is composed of thirteen judges appointed for twelve years, again selected by the President from the double number of candidates elected by the National Council.
A candidate for constitutional judge must be electable to the National Council, be at least 40 years old, be a law school graduate and be practising law for at least 15 years. Judges may be taken into custody only with consent of the Constitutional Court.