Organisation of administrative work

Administrative matters relating to the Supreme Administrative Court’s own administration and management are, as a rule, decided upon following a presentation at a plenary session or an administrative session. In certain cases, the authority lies with the President or Secretary General. 

Plenary session in administrative matters

A plenary session of the Supreme Administrative Court dealing with administrative matters is attended by the permanent members currently in office. Plenary sessions are chaired by the President.

Plenary sessions decide on administrative matters relating to, for example,

• the rules of procedure of the Supreme Administrative Court
• making proposals for the appointment of members and expert members
• appointing the Secretary General and referendaries
• establishment, termination or change of an office position
• the performance targets of the Supreme Administrative Court and the statements on budget proposals of the Supreme Administrative Court and the court system
• issuing an opinion on the appointment of Chief Justice of an Administrative Court, Chief Justice of the Market Court and Chief Justice of the Insurance Court.

Administrative Session

An administrative session is attended by the President and chairs of the chambers. An administrative session is also attended by at least three other members of different chambers, elected by a plenary session. If the chair of a committee is unable to attend, the deputy chair attends in their place.

The administrative session is quorate when three members are present. It is chaired by the President. Other people may also be invited to attend a meeting.

Administrative sessions decide on administrative matters relating to, for example:

• issuing an opinion on a legislative matter
• appointing administrative court judges, assessors, market court judges and insurance court judges to fixed-term posts lasting more than one year
• granting permission to engage in a secondary occupation to members and referendaries, as well as to the chief justices of the Administrative Courts, the Market Court and the Insurance Court
• granting leave of absence to the chief justices of the Administrative Courts, the Market Court and the Insurance Court
• accepting the resignation of the President, members, expert members, Secretary General or referendaries approaching retirement age

• statutory plans and other plans, guidelines and opinions concerning the activities of the Supreme Administrative Court, provided that their issuance does not, in view of their significance, fall within the purview of the President or the Secretary General.

Organisation of the work of the chambers

The Supreme Administrative Court has at least two chambers for judicial matters. The President decides on the number of chambers, the division of case categories between the chambers and, after consulting the members concerned, the assignment of members to the chambers.

The President decides on the assignment of referendaries to the chambers after consulting the chairs of the chambers and the referendaries concerned. When deciding on the assignment of case categories, members and referendaries to the chambers, particular account is taken of the nature and volume of the cases to be dealt with by the chambers, the expertise required for the cases, the development of the expertise of members and referendaries and the equitable distribution of work.

After consulting a plenary session, the President appoints the chairs of the chambers from among the permanent members and, after consulting the chair of the chamber concerned, appoints the deputy chair of that chamber.

The chair is responsible for ensuring that the chamber’s judicial functions are carried out appropriately, promptly and effectively, and that the workload is distributed fairly across the chamber. The chair monitors the volume of judicial work, processing times and other targets set for the service, and reports on these to the President. The chair is responsible for supervising and monitoring the work of the chamber’s referendaries.

Responsible member and responsible referendary

The chair of a chamber may appoint one or more members to act as the responsible member for a specific case category. Their role is to monitor case law in that area and to act as the primary point of contact for referendaries on general matters relating to that case category.

The chair of a chamber may appoint one or more referendaries to act as the referendary responsible for a specific case category. Their task is to monitor case law relating to that case category, the status of pending cases within that area, and to act as a liaison between the referendaries and the office personnel on general matters relating to the category.