Other tasks of the Supreme Court

The Court also deals with the Procurator General’s applications to suspend or dismiss members of the judiciary. Because the judiciary must be independent in order to carry out its duties properly, judges are appointed for life, with a mandatory retirement age of 70. They cannot therefore be suspended or dismissed against their will by the government or parliament.

The Supreme Court does have the power to dismiss or suspend judges who are clearly unfit to serve or have been convicted of a serious offence. The court rarely needs to exercise this power, not only because such cases are rare, but also because the judge in question generally resigns rather than waits to be dismissed.

The Supreme Court is also responsible for investigating judges about whom the Procurator General has received complaints.