The Constitutional Court of Slovenia (in Slovene: Ustavno sodišče Republike Slovenije, US RS) is a special court established by the Slovenian Constitution. Since its inception, the Court has been located in the city of Ljubljana. It is the highest court in the country for reviewing the constitutionality and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, otherwise the highest court in the country is the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia. The constitutional court is not part of any branch of government (not even the judiciary) and is an independent state body.Zakon o ustavnem sodišču
The main responsibilities of the Constitutional Court include:
reviewing the constitutionality and legality of laws and other regulations, deciding on constitutional complaints (violations of human rights) against the decisions of other state bodies, and certain other responsibilities related to elections and jurisdiction. The seat of the Court is in Ljubljana in a Plečnik's Palace, designed by a famous Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik.
Jurisdiction Most powers of the Constitutional Court are explicitly determined by the Constitution. In accordance with the Constitution (§160), the Constitutional Court decides on:
the conformity of laws with the Constitution and of laws and other regulations with ratified treaties and with the general principles of international law; the conformity of regulations with the Constitution and with laws; the conformity of local community regulations with the Constitution and with laws; the conformity of general acts issued for the exercise of public authority with the Constitution, laws, and regulations; constitutional complaints stemming from the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms by individual acts; on jurisdictional disputes between the state and local communities and among local communities themselves; between courts and other state authorities; and between the National Assembly, the President of the Republic, and the Government; the unconstitutionality of the acts and activities of political parties; other matters vested by the Constitution (e.g. deciding on an impeachment charges against the prime minister or president; conformity of international treaties with the Constitution before its ratification; appeals against a National Assembly decision on the election of Slovenian members to the European Parliament; admissibility of a National Assembly decision not to call a referendum on the confirmation of constitutional amendments; ).
Procedures
The Constitutional Court has several strictly defined procedures in which cases may be brought before it. Procedures are regulated by the Constitutional Court Act.
Constitutional Court decides by a majority vote of all its judges unless otherwise provided for individual cases by the Constitution or law. Decisions of the Court are binding for all.
Procedure for the review of the constitutionality and legality The procedure for the review of the constitutionality and legality of regulations and general acts issued for the exercise of public authority is initiated by:
submission of a written request by an applicant (specific state bodies); or by a Constitutional Court order on the acceptance of a petition by a private citizen, whose legal interests were affected, to initiate a review procedure.
Written request can be submitted by any court, the National Assembly, one third of MPs, the National Council, the Government, the Ombudsman, the Information Commissioner, the Bank of Slovenia, the State Prosecutor General, representative bodies of local communities, a representative association of local communities, and national representative trade unions.
In this procedure the Court may:
find that the law or other regulation is in conformity with the Constitution or law; in whole or in part abrogate an Act which is not in conformity with the Constitution; annul or abrogate other regulations (Act cannot be annulled or abrogated).
Constitutional complaint Constitutional complaint is possible in case of to a violation of human rights or fundamental freedoms against individual acts of state or local authorities.
A complaint may be lodged by:
an individual whose were violated; or the Ombudsman in connection with an individual case that he is dealing with.
Complaint is not allowed until after all legal remedies have been exhausted.
In this procedure the Court may:
dismiss a constitutional complaint as unfounded; in whole or in part annuls or abrogates the individual act, and remands the case to the authority competent to decide thereon.
Landmark decisions Tito street decision, U-I-109/10 of 3 October 2011.
Composition The court consists of 9 judges, who are elected by the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia for a non-renewable 9-year term on the proposal of the President of the Republic. Before replacing a judge after the end of their term, a new judge must first be elected. If this does not happen by the end of the judge's term, that judge's term will be extended until a new judge is elected (e.g. judge Dunja Jadek Pensa served for more than 10 years before political consensus was reached to elect judge Rok Svetlič in 2021).
Judges are elected from among legal experts, who are Slovenian citizens and at least 40 years of age, but they do not have to meet the conditions that apply to the election of judges of regular courts. Among other things, the judges of the Constitutional Court do not need a state legal exam, which allows, for example, university professors to be elected as judges of the court.
After election, a new judge must take the following oath before the National Assembly: "I swear that I shall judge according to the Constitution, the law, and my conscience and that I shall strive with all my power for constitutionality, legality, and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms."
Judges elect a president and vice-president of the Court among themselves for a term of three years by a secret ballot.
List of judges
+#JudgeSodniki | Ustavno sodišče Republike SlovenijeTermSuccessionNominated byOther positions1Janez Šinkovec, PhD(1928-2016)25 June 19918 January 19981President Milan Kučan2Lovro Šturm, PhD(1938-2021)25 June 199119 December 19981President (1997–1998)3Peter Jambrek, PhD(1940-)25 June 199119 December 19981President (1991–1994)4Anton Perenič, PhD(1941-)25 June 199130 September 199215Anton (Tone) Jerovšek, PhD(1941-)25 June 199119 December 19981President (1994–1997)6Matevž Krivic(1942-)25 June 199119 December 199817Janez Snoj(1934-2005)12 February 199231 March 199818Lojze Ude, PhD(1936-)25 May 199324 May 20021Vice-President (1998-2001)9Boštjan M. Zupančič, PhD(1947-)25 May 199331 October 1998110Franc Testen(1948-)25 May 199324 May 20022 - Succeeding Judge (4) PereničPresident (1998-2001)Vice-President (1994-1997)11Miroslava Geč-Korošec, PhD(1939-2002)9 January 19981 October 20002 - Succeeding Judge (1) ŠinkovecVice-President (1997-1998)12Dragica Wedam Lukić, PhD(1949-)1 April 199831 March 20072 - Succeeding Judge (7) SnojPresident (2001-2004)13Janez Čebulj, PhD(1957-)31 October 199827 March 20082 - Succeeding Judge (3) JambrekPresident (2004-2007)Vice-President (2001-2004)Secretary-General (1993-1998)14Lojze Janko(1943-)31 October 199831 October 20072 - Succeeding Judge (6) KrivicVice-President (1998)15Mirjam Škrk, PhD(1947-2026)31 October 199827 March 20082 - Succeeding Judge (2) ŠturmVice-President (2004-2007)16Milojka Modrijan(1945-)1 November 199820 November 20072 - Succeeding Judge (9) Zupančič17Zvonko Fišer, PhD(1949-)18 December 199827 March 20082 - Succeeding Judge (5) Jerovšek19Ciril Ribičič, PhD(1947-)19 December 200018 December 20093 - Succeeding Judge (11) Geč-KorošecPresident Janez DrnovšekVice-President (2007-2009)20Jože Tratnik(1941-)25 May 200217 July 20112 - Succeeding Judge (8) UdePresident (2007-2010)21Marija Krisper Kramberger(1946-)25 May 200213 September 20103 - Succeeding Judge (10) Testen18Franc Grad, PhD(1948-)1 April 200731 January 20083 - Succeeding Judge (12) Wedam Lukić22Miroslav Mozetič(1950-)31 October 200730 October 20163 - Succeeding Judge (14) JankoPresident (2013-2016)Vice-President (2010-2013)23Marta Klampfer(1953-2016)20 November 200719 November 20163 - Succeeding Judge (16) Modrijan24Mitja Deisinger, PhD(1942-)27 March 200826 March 20173 - Succeeding Judge (17) FišerPresident Danilo Türk25Jasna Pogačar(1953-)27 March 200826 March 20173 - Succeeding Judge (13) Čebulj26Jan Zobec(1954-)27 March 200826 March 20174 - Succeeding Judge (18) Grad27Ernest Petrič, PhD(1936-)25 April 200824 April 20173 - Succeeding Judge (15) ŠkrkPresident (2010-2013)28Jadranka Sovdat, PhD(1960-)19 December 200918 December 20184 - Succeeding Judge (19) RibičičPresident (2016-2018)Vice-President (2013-2016)Secretary-General (1999-2009)29Etelka Korpič-Horvat, PhD(1948-)29 September 201027 September 20194 - Succeeding Judge (21) Krisper KrambergerVice-President (2016-2019)30Dunja Jadek Pensa, PhD(1959-)15 July 20119 November 20213 - Succeeding Judge (20) Tratnik31Špelca Mežnar, PhD(1976-)31 October 201630 October 20254 - Succeeding Judge (22) MozetičPresident Borut Pahor32Marko Šorli(1946-)20 November 201619 November 20254 - Succeeding Judge (23) Klampfer33Marijan Pavčnik, PhD(1946-)27 March 201731 December 20224 - Succeeding Judge (24) Deisinger 34 Matej Accetto, PhD(1974-) 27 March 2017 26 March 2026 4 - Succeeding Judge (25) Pogačar President (2021–2024)Vice-President (2019-2021) 35Klemen Jaklič, PhD, PhD(1975-) 27 March 2017 26 March 2026 5 - Succeeding Judge (26) Zobec 36 Rajko Knez, PhD(1969-) 25 April 2017 24 April 20264 - Succeeding Judge (27) Petrič President (2018–2021)37Katja Šugman Stubbs, PhD(1966-)19 December 2018Incumbent5 - Succeeding Judge (28) Sovdat38Rok Čeferin, PhD(1964-)27 September 2019Incumbent5 - Succeeding Judge (29) Korpič-HorvatPresident (2024-)Vice-President (2021-2024)39Rok Svetlič, PhD(1973-)10 November 2021Incumbent4 - Succeeding Judge (30) Jadek Pensa40Neža Kogovšek Šalamon, PhD(1978-)1 January 2023Incumbent5 - Succeeding Judge (33) PavčnikVice-President (2024-)41Nina Betetto31 October 2025Incumbent5 - Succeeding Judge (31) MežnarPresident Nataša Pirc Musar42Primož Gorkič, PhD20 November 2025Incumbent5 - Succeeding Judge (32) Šorli43Tamara Kek27 March 2026Incumbent5 - Succeeding Judge (34) Accetto44Marko Starman27 March 2026Incumbent6 - Succeeding Judge (35) Jaklič45Barbara Kresal, PhD25 April 2026Incumbent5 - Succeeding Judge (36) Knez
Timeline
Presidents and vice-presidents of the Court This is a list of the presidents and vice-presidents of the Constitutional Court of Slovenia. The president and vice-president are elected by the judges of the Constitutional Court from among their own members for a three-year term.
List of presidents of the Court +#JudgeTerm1Peter Jambrek, PhD25 June 199124 April 19942Tone Jerovšek, PhD25 April 199424 April 19973Lovro Šturm, PhD25 April 199730 October 19984Franc Testen11 November 199810 November 20015Dragica Wedam Lukić, PhD11 November 200110 November 20046Janez Čebulj, PhD11 November 200410 November 20077Jože Tratnik11 November 200710 November 20108Ernest Petrič, PhD11 November 201010 November 20139Miroslav Mozetič11 November 201330 October 201610Jadranka Sovdat, PhD31 October 201618 December 201811Rajko Knez, PhD18 December 201818 December 202112Matej Accetto, PhD19 December 202118 December 202413Rok Čeferin, PhD19 December 2024Incumbent
List of vice-presidents of the Court