New legislation has been proposed enabling the Knesset to elect the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. As it stands now, the Chief Justice is chosen from among the 12 or 14 Justices by virtue of seniority; Justice Dorit Beinish, by this standard, will become Chief Justice upon Aharon Barak\'s retirement five years from now. (Between now and then, the other current judges who were appointed before her will have reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.)
The new legislation, proposed by MK Yitzchak Cohen of Shas, would equate the position of Supreme Court President to that of President of the State and the State Comptroller, which are voted upon by the Knesset. MK Yigal Bibi (National Religious Party) supports the legislation, and has proposed another bill limiting the term of a Supreme Court justice. He explained today, \"The situation is absurd. No other position in the country is appointed by seniority, and it could be that a judge who is far less qualified than his colleagues may be named their President, simply by virtue of his having been appointed earlier than the others. In addition, other high-ranking positions are limited in time: Chief Rabbinical Appeals Court Judge - five years; President of the State - seven years; Chief Rabbi - ten years; but the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court can serve 20 or 25 years [until he is 70] - this is unprecedented...\"
Supreme Court justices are presently chosen by the Judicial Selection Committee, which is composed of representatives of all three branches of government and the legal profession: the Minister of Justice, another cabinet minister, the Chief Justice and two other Supreme Court justices, two Knesset Members, and two members of the Israel Bar Association.
The new legislation, proposed by MK Yitzchak Cohen of Shas, would equate the position of Supreme Court President to that of President of the State and the State Comptroller, which are voted upon by the Knesset. MK Yigal Bibi (National Religious Party) supports the legislation, and has proposed another bill limiting the term of a Supreme Court justice. He explained today, \"The situation is absurd. No other position in the country is appointed by seniority, and it could be that a judge who is far less qualified than his colleagues may be named their President, simply by virtue of his having been appointed earlier than the others. In addition, other high-ranking positions are limited in time: Chief Rabbinical Appeals Court Judge - five years; President of the State - seven years; Chief Rabbi - ten years; but the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court can serve 20 or 25 years [until he is 70] - this is unprecedented...\"
Supreme Court justices are presently chosen by the Judicial Selection Committee, which is composed of representatives of all three branches of government and the legal profession: the Minister of Justice, another cabinet minister, the Chief Justice and two other Supreme Court justices, two Knesset Members, and two members of the Israel Bar Association.