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The Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database is a repository of gender equality related provisions in 194 constitutions from around the world. The Database was updated in partnership with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Japan. Experience its wealth and depth of information by starting your search now.
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Jurisdiction and Access
Marshall Islands
- English(1) The Supreme Court shall be a superior court of record, shall consist of a Chief Justice and such number of other judges as may from time to time be prescribed by Act, and shall have appellate jurisdiction, as to both law and fact, with final authority to adjudicate all cases and controversies properly brought before it, in accord with this Constitution and other applicable laws of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
(2) An appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court:
…
(b) as of right from any final decision of the High Court in the exercise of any appellate jurisdiction, but only if the High Court certifies that the case involves a substantial question of law as to the interpretation or effect of any provision of the Constitution;
…
(3) The High Court may, on its own motion or on application of any party to the proceedings, remove to the Supreme Court any question arising as to the interpretation or effect of the Constitution in any proceedings of the High Court, other than proceedings set down for trial before a bench of 3 judges.
… (Art. VI, Sec. 2)
Jurisdiction and Access
South Africa
- English...
(3) The Constitutional Court-
(a) is the highest court of the Republic; and
(b) may decide -
(i) constitutional matters; and
(ii) any other matter, if the Constitutional Court grants leave to appeal on the grounds that the matter raises an arguable point of law of general public importance which ought to be considered by that Court; and
(c) makes the final decision whether a matter is within its jurisdiction.
(4) Only the Constitutional Court may -
(a) decide disputes between organs of state in the national or provincial sphere concerning the constitutional status, powers or functions of any of those organs of state;
(b) decide on the constitutionality of any parliamentary or provincial Bill, but may do so only in the circumstances anticipated in section 79 or 121;
(c) decide applications envisaged in section 80 or 122;
(d) decide on the constitutionality of any amendment to the Constitution;
(e) decide that Parliament or the President has failed to fulfil a constitutional obligation; or
(f) certify a provincial constitution in terms of section 144.
(5) The Constitutional Court makes the final decision whether an Act of Parliament, a provincial Act or conduct of the President is constitutional, and must confirm any order of invalidity made by the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court of South Africa, or a court of similar status, before that order has any force.
(6) National legislation or the rules of the Constitutional Court must allow a person, when it is in the interests of justice and with leave of the Constitutional Court—
(a) to bring a matter directly to the Constitutional Court; or
(b) to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court from any other court.
(7) A constitutional matter includes any issue involving the interpretation, protection or enforcement of the Constitution. (Sec. 167)
Jurisdiction and Access
Cyprus
- English1. A party to any judicial proceedings, including proceedings on appeal, may, at any stage thereof, raise the question of the unconstitutionality of any law or decision or any provision thereof material for the determination of any matter at issue in such proceedings and thereupon the Court before which such question is raised shall reserve the question for the decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court and stay further proceedings until such question is determined by the Supreme Constitutional Court.
… (Art. 144) - Greek1. Πας διάδικος δικαιούται, καθ’ οιονδήποτε στάδιον της διαδικασίας συμπεριλαμβανομένης και της κατ’ έφεσιν, να εγείρη ζήτημα αντισυνταγματικότητος νόμου ή αποφάσεως η διατάξεώς τινος αυτών ουσιώδους δια την διάγνωσιν της εκκρεμούς ενώπιον του δικαστηρίου υποθέσεως. Tο δικαστήριο, ενώπιον του οποίου εγείρεται το ζήτημα, παραπέμπει παρευθύς τούτο ενώπιον του Aνωτάτου Συνταγματικού Δικαστηρίου και αναστέλλει την πρόοδον της διαδικασίας, μέχρις ου αποφανθή επ αυτού το Aνώτατον Συνταγματικόν Δικαστήριο.
… (Αρθρον 144) - Turkish1. Herhangi bir adli muameledeki bir taraf, temyiz muameleleri dâhil olmak üzere, bu muamelenin herhangi bir safhasında bu muameledeki uyuşmazlık konularından herhangi birinin karara bağlanmasında etkisi olan herhangi bir kanunun veya kararın ya da onun herhangi bir hükmünün Anayasaya aykırılığı meselesini ileri sürebilir ve bunun üzerine, önüne böyle bir mesele ileri sürülen mahkeme, bu meseleyi, karar vermesi için Yüksek Anayasa Mahkemesine sunar ve bu mesele hakkında Yüksek Anayasa Mahkemesince bir karar verilinceye kadar bu muameleyi durdurur.
... (Madde 144)
Jurisdiction and Access
Türkiye
- EnglishThe President of the Republic, the two political party groups having the largest number of members in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, and at least one-fifth of the total number of members of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey shall have the right to apply for annulment action directly to the Constitutional Court, based on the assertion of the unconstitutionality, in form and in substance, of laws, of presidential decrees, of Rules of Procedure of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey or of certain articles or provisions thereof. (Art. 150)
- TurkishKanunların, Cumhurbaşkanlığı kararnamelerinin, Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi İçtüzüğünün veya bunların belirli madde ve hükümlerinin şekil ve esas bakımından Anayasaya aykırılığı iddiasıyla Anayasa Mahkemesinde doğrudan doğruya iptal davası açabilme hakkı, Cumhurbaşkanına, Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisinde en fazla üyeye sahip iki siyasi parti grubuna ve üye tamsayısının en az beşte biri tutarındaki üyelere aittir. (Madde 150)
Jurisdiction and Access
Vanuatu
- English1. Anyone who considers that a provision of the Constitution has been infringed in relation to him may, without prejudice to any other legal remedy available to him, apply to the Supreme Court for redress.
2. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction to determine the matter and to make such order as it considers appropriate to enforce the provisions of the Constitution.
3. When a question concerning the interpretation of the Constitution arises before a subordinate court, and the court considers that the question concerns a fundamental point of law, the court shall submit the question to the Supreme Court for its determination. (Art. 53) - French1) Quiconque estime qu'une disposition de la Constitution a été violée à son encontre peut, sans préjudice des autres recours légaux ouverts, saisir la Cour Suprême pour dénoncer cette violation et obtenir réparation.
2) La Cour Suprême a compétence pour déterminer si une disposition de la Constitution a été violée et pour faire une déclaration en conséquence.
3) Lorsqu'une question relative à l'interprétation de la Constitution est soulevée devant une juridiction inférieure et que celle-ci considère que la question a trait à un point de droit fondamental, cette juridiction doit, à titre préjudiciel, soumettre cette question à la Cour Suprême. (Art. 53)
Jurisdiction and Access
Zimbabwe
- English(1) The High Court—
…
(c) may decide constitutional matters except those that only the Constitutional Court may decide;
… (Sec. 171)
Jurisdiction and Access
Andorra
- English1. Appeals of unconstitutionality against laws or statutory rules may be lodged by one fifth of the General Council, the Head of Government and three Local Councils. One fifth of the General Council may lodge an appeal of unconstitutionality against the Rules of Procedure of the Chamber. The appeal shall be lodged within the thirty days following the publication of the rule.
… (Art. 99) - Catalan1. Poden interposar recurs d'inconstitucionalitat contra les lleis i els decrets legislatius una cinquena part dels membres del Consell General, el cap de Govern i tres Comuns. Una cinquena part dels membres del Consell General pot interposar recurs d'inconstitucionalitat contra el reglament de la cambra. El termini d'interposició de la demanda és de trenta dies des de la data de publicació de la norma.
… (Art. 99)
Jurisdiction and Access
Angola
- English1. The President of the Republic, one fifth of the Members in full exercise of their office and the Attorney-General may request the Constitutional Court to rule on unconstitutionality by omission.
… (Art. 232) - Portuguese1. Podem requerer ao Tribunal Constitucional a declaração de inconstitucionalidade por omissão o Presidente da República, um quinto dos Deputados em efectividade de funções e o Procurador-Geral da República.
… (Art. 232)
Jurisdiction and Access
Bolivia, Plurinational State of
- EnglishI. The Pluri-National Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional) assures the supremacy of the Constitution, exercises constitutional control, and safeguards respect for and enforcement of constitutional rights and guarantees.
II. As criteria to be applied in its interpretive role, the Pluri-National Constitutional Court shall give preference to the intent of the constituent assembly as demonstrated in its documents, acts and resolutions, as well as the literal tenor of the text. (Art. 196) - SpanishI. El Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional vela por la supremacía de la Constitución, ejerce el control de constitucionalidad, y precautela el respeto y la vigencia de los derechos y las garantías constitucionales.
II. En su función interpretativa, el Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional aplicará como criterio de interpretación, con preferencia, la voluntad del constituyente, de acuerdo con sus documentos, actas y resoluciones, así como el tenor literal del texto. (Art. 196)
Jurisdiction and Access
Czech Republic
- English(1) The Constitutional Court has jurisdiction:
a) to annul statutes or individual provisions thereof if they are in conflicts with the constitutional order;
b) to annul other legal enactments or individual provisions thereof if they are in conflict with the constitutional order or a statute;
c) over constitutional complaints by the representative body of a self-governing region against an unlawful encroachment by the state;
d) over constitutional complaints against final decisions or other encroachments by public authorities infringing constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights and basic freedoms;
e) over remedial actions from decisions concerning the certification of the election of a deputy or senator;
f) to resolve doubts concerning a deputy or senator’s loss of eligibility to hold office or the incompatibility under Article 25 of some other position or activity with holding the office of deputy or senator;
g) over a constitutional charge brought by the Senate against the president of the republic pursuant to Article 65, paragraph 2;
h) to decide on a petition by the president of the republic seeking the revocation of a joint resolution of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate pursuant to Article 66;
i) to decide on the measures necessary to implement a decision of an international tribunal which is binding on the Czech Republic, in the event that it cannot be otherwise implemented;
j) to determine whether a decision to dissolve a political party or other decision relating to the activities of a political party is in conformity with constitutional acts or other laws;
k) to decide jurisdictional disputes between state bodies and bodies of self-governing regions, unless that power is given by statute to another body.
(2) Prior to the ratification of a treaty under Article 10a or Article 49, the Constitutional Court shall further have jurisdiction to decide concerning the treaty’s conformity with the constitutional order. A treaty may not be ratified prior to the Constitutional Court giving judgment.
(3) A statute may provide that, in place of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Administrative Court shall have jurisdiction:
a) to annul legal enactments other than statutes or individual provisions thereof if they are inconsistent with a statute;
b) to decide jurisdictional disputes between state bodies and bodies of self-governing regions, unless that power is given by statute to another body. (1993 Constitution, Art. 87) - Czech(1) Ústavní soud rozhoduje
a) o zrušení zákonů nebo jejich jednotlivých ustanovení, jsou-li v rozporu s ústavním pořádkem,
b) o zrušení jiných právních předpisů nebo jejich jednotlivých ustanovení, jsou-li v rozporu s ústavním pořádkem nebo zákonem,
c) o ústavní stížnosti orgánů územní samosprávy proti nezákonnému zásahu státu,
d) o ústavní stížnosti proti pravomocnému rozhodnutí a jinému zásahu orgánů veřejné moci do ústavně zaručených základních práv a svobod,
e) o opravném prostředku proti rozhodnutí ve věci ověření volby poslance nebo senátora,
f) v pochybnostech o ztrátě volitelnosti a o neslučitelnosti výkonu funkcí poslance nebo senátora podle čl. 25,
g) o ústavní žalobě Senátu proti prezidentu republiky podle čl. 65 odst. 2,
h) o návrhu prezidenta republiky na zrušení usnesení Poslanecké sněmovny a Senátu podle čl. 66,
i) o opatřeních nezbytných k provedení rozhodnutí mezinárodního soudu, které je pro Českou republiku závazné, pokud je nelze provést jinak,
j) o tom, zda rozhodnutí o rozpuštění politické strany nebo jiné rozhodnutí týkající se činnosti politické strany je ve shodě s ústavními nebo jinými zákony,
k) spory o rozsah kompetencí státních orgánů a orgánů územní samosprávy, nepřísluší-li podle zákona jinému orgánu.
(2) Ústavní soud dále rozhoduje o souladu mezinárodní smlouvy podle čl. 10a a čl. 49 s ústavním pořádkem, a to před její ratifikací. Do rozhodnutí Ústavního soudu nemůže být smlouva ratifikována.
(3) Zákon může stanovit, že namísto Ústavního soudu rozhoduje Nejvyšší správní soud
a) o zrušení právních předpisů nebo jejich jednotlivých ustanovení, jsou-li v rozporu se zákonem,
b) spory o rozsah kompetencí státních orgánů a orgánů územní samosprávy, nepřísluší-li podle zákona jinému orgánu. (Ústava 1993, Čl. 87)