STATUTUL JUDECĂTORILOR CURȚII CONSTITUȚIONALE

In this article, the author analyzes extensively the issue of the status of the judges of the Constitutional Court from Romania, as it was prefigured in the theses debated by the Constituent Assembly in 1991 and regulated in the provisions of the Constitution approved by the national referendum of 8 December 1991 and revised by the Law No 429/2003. The status of the constitutional judges is analyzed by reference to the role and attributions of the Constitutional Court. The status of the constitutional judges derives from the role of the Court as guarantor of the supremacy of the Fundamental Law. The constitutional provisions regarding the status of the constitutional judges are developed by the Law No 47/1992 on the organization and functioning of the Constitutional Court, as well as by other special laws. The judges enjoy independence and are obliged to impartially exercise their attributions. The constitutional provisions provide that the constitutional judges are incompatible with any other public or private office, except for higher legal education teaching activities, are independent in the exercise of their mandate and irremovable during their term of office. The Law No 47/1992 establishes that the judges are not legally responsible for the opinions and votes cast in connection with the cases pending before the Court. For any other deeds, the constitutional judges may be tried in criminal proceedings with the consent of the plenum of the Constitutional Court, under the conditions provided by the Law No 47/1992.