The Spanish Legal System and Judiciary Flashcards

Which body is the supreme interpreter of the Spanish Constitution?

Answer: The Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional)

The Constitutional Court is the highest interpreter of the Spanish Constitution and has authority to resolve all constitutional disputes.

How many magistrates (members) does the Spanish Constitutional Court have?

Answer: 12

The Spanish Constitutional Court is composed of 12 magistrates, as established by Article 159 of the Constitution, serving 9-year terms.

What is the highest court in Spain for ordinary (non-constitutional) matters?

Answer: The Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo)

The Tribunal Supremo (Supreme Court) is the highest judicial body in Spain for all civil, criminal, administrative, social, and military matters outside constitutional questions.

Which institution is responsible for governing and ensuring the independence of the Spanish judiciary?

Answer: The General Council of the Judiciary (Consejo General del Poder Judicial)

The Consejo General del Poder Judicial (CGPJ) is the governing body of the judiciary that protects judicial independence from the executive and legislative branches.

What is the 'Defensor del Pueblo' in Spain?

Answer: Spain's Ombudsman, appointed to protect citizens' fundamental rights

The Defensor del Pueblo is Spain's Ombudsman, appointed by the Cortes Generales to defend citizens' fundamental rights and public freedoms against abuses by public administration.

How long is the term of office for a magistrate of the Spanish Constitutional Court?

Answer: 9 years

Constitutional Court magistrates serve 9-year non-renewable terms, which are staggered so the court is renewed by one-third every three years.

Which Spanish court has jurisdiction over terrorism cases and large-scale organized crime affecting the whole nation?

Answer: The National High Court (Audiencia Nacional)

The Audiencia Nacional has nationwide jurisdiction over serious crimes such as terrorism, major drug trafficking, and offenses against the Crown or the state.