Israel will receive its sixth District Court this coming Sept. 2 when the Central District Court begins sessions.  Justice Hila Gerstel will preside.

The newly-created Central District Court is set to relieve the pressure of Israel's growing legislative load.  The court will be located in Petach Tikva, and will hear appeals on rulings handed down in the lower Magistrates Courts of Kfar Saba, Rishon LeTzion, Petach Tikva, Netanya, Rehovot and Ramle.



The new president will be Justice Hila Gerstel, who has served since last year as Deputy President of the Tel Aviv District Court.  Nine other justices will serve as well.



Appeals will be heard for the first few months only on civil cases, while beginning in January 2008, the court will hear appeals on criminal-case rulings as well.



Israel has five other District Courts - Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, and Nazareth - on which serve some 90 District Court judges. Israel also has 30 lower-level Magistrates Courts, with 540 judges.