The Council of Europe’s Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) adopted an opinion on the role of court presidents.
In this Opinion, the CCJE clarifies the role of court presidents concerning the representation of the court, relations within the court with other judges, and presidents’ management functions as regards court staff and infrastructure. The key tasks of court presidents are to represent the court and other judges, to ensure the effective functioning of the court, improving the service the court renders to society, and to preside over the judicial work of the court.
The Opinion emphasizes that, in the performance of their duties, court presidents protect the independence and impartiality of courts and of individual judges, and they should act at every moment as a guardian of these values and principles. Relations between court presidents and other state bodies are particularly sensitive. Irrespective of the particular model of such relations, court presidents play an important role in the prevention of any interference in courts’ activities.
As regards relations with the media, court presidents should keep in mind the interest of society in being informed, while taking due account of the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair trial and the right to respect for private and family life of all persons concerned in the proceedings, as well as of the protection of the confidentiality of proceedings.
The Opinion also sets out the principles relating to the qualifications required to become a court president, the body responsible for his/her selection, the evaluation of his/her work and the term of office. A chapter of the Opinion is specifically dedicated to the role of presidents of Supreme Courts.
