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Jurisdiction and Access
- English
(1) Except for Part IX Land and Titles Court and the laws administered thereunder, the Supreme Court shall:
(a) have such original, appellate and, revisional jurisdiction; and
(b) possess and exercise all the jurisdiction, power, and authority, which may be necessary to administer the laws of Samoa.
(2) Except for Part IX Land and Titles Court and without prejudice to any appellate or revisional jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, where in any proceedings before another Court (except the Court of Appeal) a question arises as to the interpretation or effect of any provision of this Constitution, the Supreme Court may, on the application of any party to the proceedings, determine that question and either dispose of the case or remit it to that other Court to be disposed of in accordance with the determination.
(3) Except for Part IX Land and Titles Court, the Head of State, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, may refer to the Supreme Court for its opinion any question as to the interpretation or effect of any provision of this Constitution which has arisen or appears likely to arise, and the Court shall pronounce its opinion on any question so referred to it. (Art. 70) - Samoan
(1) Ae vagana ai mo le Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma Tulafono o Jo o faafoeina ai i lalo, o le a i ai i le Faamasinoga Sili:
(a) o puleaga faavae, tau talosaga ma le toe iloiloga; ma
(b) i ai ma faatino o puleaga uma, pule ma pule faataga, ia e ono mafai ona talafeagai i le faafoeina o Tulafono a Samoa.
(2) Ae vagana ai mo le Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, ma e aunoa ma le faitioina o so o se itu e uiga i le toe iloiloga a le Faamasinoga Sili, i ni taualumaga i luma o se tasi faamasinoga (vagana ai a le Faamasinoga o Talosaga) e lagaina ai se faamatalaga po o se itu e uiga i le aoga o so o se aiaiga o lenei Faavae, e mafai e le Faamasinoga Sili, i le talosaga a so o se Vaega o tagata o Jo o auai i taualumaga ona faatatauina lena fesili ma faamaapeina le mataupu po o le tuu atu i luma o se tasi Faamasinoga e faamaapeina ai, ina ia talafeagai ma le fuafuaga ua faatatauina.
(3) Ae vagana ai mo le Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, e mafai e le O Le Ao o le Malo, i luga o le fautuaga a le Palemia, ona siligia le Faamasinoga Sili mo sona finagalo i so o se mataupu e faaletonu ai e uiga i le faamatalaga po o se aoga o so o se aiaiga o lenei Faavae ua manu mai po o le faamata o le a manu mai, ma o le a faaalia e le Faamasinoga Sili i le faamasinoga e avanoa mo so o se tasi i sona finagalo e uiga i so o se mataupu na faapea ona tuuina atu ia te ia. (Mataupu 70)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) The Constitutional Court—
(a) is the highest court in all constitutional matters, and its decisions on those matters bind all other courts;
(b) decides only constitutional matters and issues connected with decisions on constitutional matters, in particular references and applications under section 131(8)(b) and paragraph 9(2) of the Fifth Schedule3; and
(c) makes the final decision whether a matter is a constitutional matter or whether an issue is connected with a decision on a constitutional matter.
(2) Subject to this Constitution, only the Constitutional Court may—
(a) advise on the constitutionality of any proposed legislation, but may do so only where the legislation concerned has been referred to it in terms of this Constitution;
…
(d) determine whether Parliament or the President has failed to fulfil a constitutional obligation.
(3) The Constitutional Court makes the final decision whether an Act of Parliament or conduct of the President or Parliament is constitutional, and must confirm any order of constitutional invalidity made by another court before that order has any force.
(4) An Act of Parliament may provide for the exercise of jurisdiction by the Constitutional Court and for that purpose may confer the power to make rules of court.
(5) Rules of the Constitutional Court must allow a person, when it is in the interests of justice and with or without leave of the Constitutional Court—
(a) to bring a constitutional matter directly to the Constitutional Court;
(b) to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court from any other court;
(c) to appear as a friend of the court. (Sec. 167)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
1. Recourse to the Constitutional Court is sought upon the request of the:
a) President of the Republic;
b) Prime Minister;
c) Not less than one-fifth of the members of Assembly;
ç) Peoples Advocate;
d) Head of High State Audit;
dh) Any court, as per the provisions of Article 145, paragraph 2, of this Constitution;
e) Any commissioner established by law for the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution;
ë) High Judicial Council and High Prosecutorial Council;
f) Local governance units;
g) Organs of religious communities;
gj) Political parties;
h) Organizations;
i) Individuals.
2. The entities provided for in subparagraphs “d”, “dh”, “e”, “ë”, “f”, “g”, “gj”, “h”, and “i” of paragraph 1 of this Article may file a request only regarding the issues connected to their interests. (Art. 134) - Albanian
1. Gjykata Kushtetuese vihet në lëvizje me kërkesë të: a) Presidentit të Republikës;
b) Kryeministrit;
c) jo më pak se një të pestës së deputetëve;
ç) Avokatit të Popullit;
d) Kryetarit të Kontrollit të Lartë të Shtetit;
dh) çdo gjykate, sipas nenit 145, pika 2, të kësaj Kushtetute;
e) çdo komisioneri të krijuar me ligj për mbrojtjen e të drejtave dhe lirive themelore të garantuara nga Kushtetuta;
ë) Këshillit të Lartë Gjyqësor dhe Këshillit të Lartë të Prokurorisë; f) organeve të qeverisjes vendore;
g) organeve të bashkësive fetare;
gj) partive politike;
h) organizatave;
i) individëve.
2. Subjektet e parashikuara nga nënparagrafët “d”, “dh”, “e”, “ë”, “f”, “g”, “gj”, “h” dhe “i”, të paragrafit 1, të këtij neni, mund të bëjnë kërkesë vetëm për çështje që lidhen me interesat e tyre. (Neni 134)