Constitutional Tribunal

The Constitutional Tribunal is part of the Parliament of Law.

The Constitutional Tribunal is an independent judicial body of the Parliament of Law responsible for arbitrating constitutional disputes and overseeing the Firming Laws. It is not part of the Supreme Court, but operates as a separate entity staffed by a lottery including both citizens and practicing lawyers. The Supreme Court does not exercise direct judicial oversight over the Tribunal, but retains a permanent seat on its council.

The tribunal’s primary role is to ensure that federal authority is exercised within the bounds of the constitution. Under the Firming Laws, any affected republic, citizen or recognised legal entity can challenge a Provisional Act¹ before the tribunal. The tribunal’s rulings determine whether a provisional act can continue to “firm” into permanent law, be modified or lapse entirely.

The tribunal’s authority was significantly tested during a crisis in 2024, when it ruled that the Commonwealth Sentencing Act exceeded federal authority. This ruling triggered crisis of protocol, which led to the immediate release of 847 prisoners and a large compensation programme.

This crisis led to the Suspended Enforcement Doctrine, which requires provisional acts with serious criminal penalties to receive tribunal approval before enforcement. The tribunal also continues to review active provisional acts.