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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.
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
(1) Subject to the provisions of sections 33(2), 34(4), 54(18), 69(6), 80(4) and 123(3) of this Constitution, where any question as to the interpretation of this Constitution or the interpretation or application of the Treaty (as defined in section 131 of this Constitution) arises in any court of law established for Belize (other than the High Court or the Court of Appeal), and the court is of the opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court shall refer the question to the High Court.
(2) Where any question is referred to the High Court in pursuance of this section, the High Court shall, subject to subsection (3) below, give its decision upon the question and the court in which the question arose shall dispose of the case in accordance with that decision or, if the decision is the subject of an appeal to the Court of Appeal or the Caribbean Court of Justice, in accordance with the decision of the Court of Appeal or, as the case may be, the Caribbean Court of Justice.
… (Sec. 96)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe processes promoted before the Constitutional Court in the matters to which this Article refers will be regulated by the law in conformity with the following provisions:
1. Any citizen can exercise the public recourses [acciones] provided for in the preceding Article and intervene as impugnor or defender of the norms submitted to control in the processes promoted by others, as well as in those cases where no public action exists.
2. The Procurator General of the Nation must intervene in all these processes.
… (Art. 242) - SpanishLos procesos que se adelanten ante la Corte Constitucional en las materias a que se refiere este título, serán regulados por la ley conforme a las siguientes disposiciones:
1. Cualquier ciudadano podrá ejercer las acciones públicas previstas en el artículo precedente, e intervenir como impugnador o defensor de las normas sometidas a control en los procesos promovidos por otros, así como en aquellos para los cuales no existe acción pública.
2. El Procurador General de la Nación deberá intervenir en todos los procesos.
... (Art. 242)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court shall perform the following duties, in addition to those granted to it by the law:
1. To be the supreme body for interpreting the Constitution and international human rights treaties ratified by the Ecuadorian State by its rulings and judgments. Its decisions shall be binding.
2. To hear and resolve public claims of unconstitutionality, based either on substantive or procedural grounds, filed against general regulatory acts issued by authorities of the State. The declaration of unconstitutionality shall lead to invalidation of the challenged regulatory act.
3. To declare, by virtue of its office, unconstitutional those norms that are related, when in those cases submitted to its examination it concludes that one or various of them are contrary to the Constitution.
4. To hear and resolve, at the request of a party, claims of unconstitutionality against general administrative acts issued by all public authorities. The declaration of unconstitutionality shall lead to the invalidity of the challenged administrative act.
5. To hear and resolve, at the request of the party, claims of noncompliance that are filed to guarantee enforcement of general administrative regulations or acts, regardless of their nature or hierarchy, as well for enforcement of rulings or reports from international organizations for the protection of human rights that are not enforceable through regular judiciary channels.
6. To issue judgments that constitute binding case law with respect to actions of protection, enforcement, habeas corpus, habeas data, access to public information and other constitutional processes, as well as those cases selected by the Court for review.
7. To arbitrate conflicts of jurisdictions or attributions among the branches of government or bodies established by the Constitution.
8. To ensure, by virtue of its office and immediately, monitoring of the constitutionality of the declarations of state of emergency, when this involves the suspension of constitutional rights.
9. To hear and sanction failure to comply constitutional rulings and decisions.
10. To declare the unconstitutionality incurred by State institutions or public authorities that fail to observe, either totally or partially, the mandates contained in constitutional norms, within the time-limits set by the Constitution or within the time-limits deemed to be reasonable by the Constitutional Court. If this failure persists, after this time-limit has elapsed, the Court shall provisionally issue the regulation or enforce the observance, in accordance with the law. (Art. 436) - SpanishLa Corte Constitucional ejercerá, además de las que le confiera la ley, las siguientes atribuciones:
1. Ser la máxima instancia de interpretación de la Constitución, de los tratados internacionales de derechos humanos ratificados por el Estado ecuatoriano, a través de sus dictámenes y sentencias. Sus decisiones tendrán carácter vinculante.
2. Conocer y resolver las acciones públicas de inconstitucionalidad, por el fondo o por la forma, contra actos normativos de carácter general emitidos por órganos autoridades del Estado.
La declaratoria de inconstitucionalidad tendrá como efecto la invalidez del acto normativo impugnado.
3. Declarar de oficio la inconstitucionalidad de normas conexas, cuando en los casos sometidos a su conocimiento concluya que una o varias de ellas son contrarias a la Constitución.
4. Conocer y resolver, a petición de parte, la inconstitucionalidad contra los actos administrativos con efectos generales emitidos por toda autoridad pública. La declaratoria de inconstitucionalidad tendrá como efecto la invalidez del acto administrativo.
5. Conocer y resolver, a petición de parte, las acciones por incumplimiento que se presenten con la finalidad de garantizar la aplicación de normas o actos administrativos de carácter general, cualquiera que sea su naturaleza o jerarquía, así como para el cumplimiento de sentencias o informes de organismos internacionales de protección de derechos humanos que no sean ejecutables por las vías judiciales ordinarias.
6. Expedir sentencias que constituyan jurisprudencia vinculante respecto de las acciones de protección, cumplimiento, hábeas corpus, hábeas data, acceso a la información pública y demás procesos constitucionales, así como los casos seleccionados por la Corte para su revisión.
7. Dirimir conflictos de competencias o de atribuciones entre funciones del Estado u órganos establecidos en la Constitución.
8. Efectuar de oficio y de modo inmediato el control de constitucionalidad de las declaratorias de los estados de excepción, cuando impliquen la suspensión de derechos constitucionales.
9. Conocer y sancionar el incumplimiento de las sentencias y dictámenes constitucionales.
10. Declarar la inconstitucionalidad en que incurran las instituciones del Estado o autoridades públicas que por omisión inobserven, en forma total o parcial, los mandatos contenidos en normas constitucionales, dentro del plazo establecido en la Constitución o en el plazo considerado razonable por la Corte Constitucional. Si transcurrido el plazo la omisión persiste, la Corte, de manera provisional, expedirá la norma o ejecutará el acto omitido, de acuerdo con la ley. (Art. 436)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishA constitutional law will develop the matters relative to [the recourse of] amparo, personal exhibition and the constitutionality of the laws. (Art. 276)
- SpanishUna ley constitucional desarrollará lo relativo al amparo, a la exhibición personal y a la constitucionalidad de las leyes. (Art. 276)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Recourse of Amparo is established against any provision, act or resolution and in general against any action or omission of any functionary, authority or agent of them that violates or operates in violation of [trate de violar] the rights and guarantees consecrated in the Political Constitution. (Art. 188)
- Spanish
Se establece el Recurso de Amparo en contra de toda disposición, acto o resolución y en general en contra de toda acción u omisión de cualquier funcionario, autoridad o agente de los mismos que viole o trate de violar los derechos y garantías consagrados en la Constitución Política. (Art. 188)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishSubject to the provisions of section 36 of this Constitution, an appeal shall lie from decisions of the High Court to the Court of Appeal as of right in the following cases-
a. final decision in any civil or criminal proceedings on questions as to the interpretation of this Constitution;
b. final decisions given in exercise of the jurisdiction conferred on the High Court by section 16 of this Constitution (which relates to the enforcement of the fundamental rights and freedoms); and
c. such other cases as may be prescribed by Parliament. (Sec. 98)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishI. The Action for Compliance (Accion de Cumplimiento) shall apply to the case of non compliance with provisions of the constitutional or the law on the part of public servants, and has as its objective the guaranteeing of the execution of the norm.
II. The action shall be filed by the affected individual or collective, or by another with sufficient power in name of the affected party, before a competent judge or court, and shall be processed in the same manner as the Action for Constitutional Protection.
… (Art. 134) - SpanishI. La Acción de Cumplimiento procederá en caso de incumplimiento de disposiciones constitucionales o de la ley por parte de servidores públicos, con el objeto de garantizar la ejecución de la norma omitida.
II. La acción se interpondrá por la persona individual o colectiva afectada, o por otra a su nombre con poder suficiente, ante juez o tribunal competente, y se tramitará de la misma forma que la Acción de Amparo Constitucional.
… (Art. 134)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Where any question as to the interpretation of this Constitution arises in any court of law established for Dominica (other than the Court of Appeal, the High Court or a court- martial) and the court is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court shall refer the question to the High Court.
… (Sec. 104)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Supreme Court of Justice will have a Constitutional Chamber [Sala de lo Constitucional], to which it will correspond to take cognizance of and resolve the complaints [demandas] of unconstitutionality of the laws, decrees and regulations, the processes of amparo, [and] habeas corpus, [the] conflicts [controversias] between the Legislative Organ and [the] Executive Organ to which Article 138 refers, and [the] causes mentioned in the 7th attribution of Article 182 of this Constitution.
… (Art. 174) - SpanishLa Corte Suprema de Justicia tendrá una Sala de lo Constitucional, a la cual corresponderá conocer y resolverlas demandas de inconstitucionalidad de las leyes, decretos y reglamentos, los procesos de amparo, el habeas corpus, las controversias entre el Órgano Legislativo y el Órgano Ejecutivo a que se refiere el Art. 138 y las causas mencionadas en la atribución 7a. del Art. 182 de esta Constitución.
… (Art. 174)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishLaws may be declared unconstitutional because of their form or content.
The Supreme Court of Justice has original and exclusive jurisdiction over hearing and deciding such matters and must render its decisions in accordance with the requirements governing final judgments. (Art. 184) - SpanishLas leyes podrán ser declaradas inconstitucionales por razón de forma o de contenido.
A la Corte Suprema de Justicia le compete el conocimiento y la resolución originaria y exclusiva en la materia, y deberá pronunciarse con los requisitos de las sentencias definitivas. (Art. 184)