Visiting the Halls of Justice

In November, I visited the Supreme Court of Israel which is located just north of the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament - where Stephen Harper spoke last week). The picture below is taken looking (mostly) south; the Supreme Court is in the front, the Knesset in the middle of the picture. Free English tours of the Court go at noon from Sunday to Thursday. The building is relatively new - finished in 1992 - and full of symbolism. From 1948 to 1992, the Supreme Court presided in rented quarters in the Russian Compound (further south and east of the current location of the court in Kiryat Ben Gurion). 

Source: Flickr: Israel Supreme Court (israeltourism)

There are two other levels of courts below the Supreme Court. The Magistrates' Courts (there are about 30 of these) that have original jurisdiction for lesser claims in civil cases and for lesser offenses in criminal cases. The District Courts (there are 6 of these) are courts of original jurisdiction for civil and criminal cases beyond the jurisdiction of the Magistrates' Courts.

The Supreme Court has two main functions: (1) as a Court of Appeal and (2) as a Court of Justice (a function Canadians know as judicial review of government office or agency decision making).  Most cases at the Supreme Court proceed with a panel of three justices selected from the court's complement of fifteen. Judges are nominated and elected by a committee (made up of Knesset members, Bar Association members, and other judges); mandatory retirement is at 70 years old.

The building incorporates three main contrasts:

• inside and outside -- features like walls and windows give one a sense that they are inside and outside at the same time. There's so much natural light in the courtrooms the lights need not necessarily be turned on.
• old and new -- elements from the history of Jerusalem (including some stones) are found in the building. The main foyer entrance is filled with old Jerusalem stone.
• lines and circles -- are a visual representation of law and justice.
• lines represent law: "You are righteous...and Your laws are straight" (Psalms 119:137)
• circles represent justice: "He leads me in circles of justice" (Psalms 23:3)

I'd recommend a visit to the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, it is a unique building. I think this courthouse does something to reify the Israeli national identity. I may have to revisit the SCC in Ottawa or the USSC in DC to reflect on whether those courts do something similar for their national identities.