Rules of the Slovenian Association of judges

The Rules were adopted at an extraordinary general assembly of the Slovenian Association of Judges on 10 June 2004.

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

The Slovenian association of Judges, founded in April 1971, shall be an association of Slovene judges.
The association shall operate on the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, with registered office in Ljubljana.

Article 2

The association shall be a voluntary, non-political and non-profit organisation.

Article 3

The work of the association shall be public.

II. AIMS AND TASKS OF THE SOCIETY

Article 4

The aims and tasks of the association shall be in particular:

• strengthening and protecting the independence and sovereignty of judges in the exercise of the judicial function;
• protecting the reputation, professional and other interests of its members;
• commitment to respecting the values of law and achieving a higher level of democratic legal culture;
• provision of all-round professional training;
• developing collegial and friendly relations among colleagues;
• cooperating with other organisations of judges and lawyers at home and abroad;
• membership of such organisations at home and abroad.

Article 5

The association shall achieve its purposes by:

• the activity of members, its official bodies and working bodies, each within the context of their competence’s and authorities;
• adopting positions on individual questions in connection with the aims and tasks of the association, publicising such positions and making initiatives and proposals;
• organising lectures and professional meetings;
• publishing and collaborating in publications dealing with the tasks and position of the judiciary;
• acquainting members of resolutions and positions of organisations within the state and abroad, of which the Slovenian association of Judges is a member.

III. MEMBERSHIP

Article 6

Judges who complete and sign a declaration of membership of the association may be members of the association.

Article 7

The rights of members of the association shall be in particular:

• to elect and be elected to all official bodies of the association;
• to cooperate in the work of the official bodies of the association;
• to be acquainted with the activity of the association and with resolutions and other decisions of its official bodies

The duties of a member of the association shall be:

• to abide by decisions adopted by official bodies of association;
• to safeguard the reputation of association;
• to pay the membership fee regularly.

Article 8

Membership of the association shall cease:

• with resignation;
• with the cessation of the judicial function;
• with exclusion.

A member shall resign from the association by informing the secretary's office in writing.

Article 9

A member may be excluded from membership:

• who does not pay the membership fee for six months in succession, without good reason;
• who behaves in conflict with the Rules of association and thus damages the reputation of the association.

Article 10

Any citizen of the Republic of Slovenia or foreign citizen who has made an important contribution to the development of the Slovene judiciary or the association may be appointed an honorary member.
 

An honorary award may be made to a member for successfully performing tasks in connection with the functioning of the association.

A special award of exemplary judge shall be awarded to a member of the association only for exceptional professional conduct and commitment at work and for special services in
exercising the judicial function and ensuring judicial independence.

IV.ORGANISATION OF THE ASSOCIATION, METHOD ELECTING OFFICIAL BODIES OF THE ASSOCIATION AND THEIR TERM OF OFFICE

Article 11

The tasks of the association shall be carried out by members and official bodies of association and sections.

The official bodies of the Association shall be:

• general assembly
• main committee
• president of the association
• executive committee
• supervisory committee, and
• council for judicial ethics.

The term of office of the President of the association and members of the main committee, executive committee, supervisory committee and council for judicial ethics shall be four
years.

The main committee may establish commissions and sections by individual professional and other interest fields, for the implementation of individual tasks.

Standing orders on the work of official bodies of the association, except the general assembly, shall be adopted by the main committee.

Article 12

The highest body of association shall be the general assembly, which shall consist of all members.
 

The general assembly shall decide on fundamental questions of association and in particular it shall:

• adopt the Rules of association and amendments to them;
• adopt a code of judicial ethics;
• adopt standing orders of the general assembly, and amendments to them;
• adopt Rules on honorary membership and on the granting of honorary awards;
• elect and dismiss members of the main committee, the president of association and members of the supervisory committee and council for judicial ethics:
• make resolutions on reports of the bodies of association;
• adopt the basic program guidelines of association for the period until the next regular meeting;
• decide on termination of association;
• decide on appeals against resolutions and decisions of the main committee;
• decide on membership of organisations of lawyers at home and abroad;
• decide on other questions in connection with the functioning of association, if it decides to discuss them.

Article 13

The main committee shall call a regular general assembly every two years, at least 15 days before the assembly with a statement of the place, time and agenda of the assembly, in such a way that all members of association are informed about it.
 

The main committee shall call an extraordinary general assembly on its own initiative, at the demand of the executive committee or on the written demand of at least a quarter of
members.

Article 14

A general assembly shall be quorate if at the time for which it was called at least half of the members are present, and after a half-hour postponement, at least one quarter of the members.
 

A general assembly shall adopt decisions by a majority of votes of members present.
 

In order to adopt a decision on termination of association, at least half of the members of association must be present, and at least two thirds of those present must vote in favour.
 

A general assembly shall normally decide by open voting, but may also decide hold a secret ballot.

Article 15

The main committee shall consist of the president of association and elected members.
 

Members of association from the territories of individual district courts shall propose one candidate for each 50 or part of 50 judges – members of association, judges of labour and social courts 2 candidates, and judges of higher and the Supreme Court each one candidate. Irrespective of the provision of the first sentence, judges of district courts from the territory of an individual higher court shall each propose one candidate from among district judges-members.
 

The main committee shall conduct the business of the Association, whereby it shall in particular perform the following tasks:

• adopt guidelines and positions for realising the aims and tasks of association referred to in Article 4 of the Rules and organise forms of work for implementing the tasks of the
• Society and realising the program of the association;
• discuss proposals and adopt positions at the request of members in cases when their independence in exercising the judicial function is threatened or their rights and
• reputation are otherwise affected;
• adopt standing orders about their work and the work of individual sections;
• adopt a program of work for the current term of office on the proposal of the president of association;
• adopt financial plans and final accounts;
• provide compulsory interpretations of the Rules of the Association;
• decide on the exclusion of a member of the Association;
• decide on the level of membership fee.

The main committee shall meet at least three times a year. The calling of a session of the main committee shall be mandatory at the written request of a quarter of the members of the
main committee.

Article 16

The main committee shall elect from among its own members, and dismiss, two vice-presidents and four members of an executive committee.
 

The main committee shall appoint a treasurer of Association from among the members of association.

Article 17

The president of Association shall appear on behalf of and represent the association.
 

The president of Association may be elected a maximum of twice in succession.
 

The president of Association shall ensure that the work of official bodies of association is done in accordance with the Rules, adopted programs and resolutions, shall call and chair sessions of the main and executive committees, and perform other tasks on the basis of resolutions of the general assembly or main committee of association.

Article 18

The executive committee of Association shall consist of the president of the association, two vice-presidents of association and four elected members of the main committee.
 

The executive committee shall implement the resolutions and decisions of the general assembly and main committee, ensure the regular implementation of the tasks of the Association and keep membership records of Association.
 

The executive committee may appoint a secretary of association from among members of association for carrying out the administrative business of association, or entrust this task to another person.
 

The treasurer shall conduct the material and financial business of Association.

Article 19

The supervisory committee shall have five members, who shall elect a president from among themselves.
 

The president of the supervisory committee shall call and chair sessions of the supervisory committee.
 

The calling of a session of the supervisory committee shall be mandatory at the written request of a third of the members of the supervisory committee.
 

The task of the supervisory committee is to supervise the material and financial business of Association. The committee shall annually review the material and financial business of Association about which it shall report to a regular general assembly.

Article 20

The council for judicial ethics shall have five members, who shall elect a president from among themselves.
 

The council for judicial ethics shall advise members of Association in relation to questions of judicial ethics and adopt positions on respecting the Code of Judicial Ethics.

V. RESOURCES OF THE SOCIETY

Article 21

The sources and financial and material resources of Association shall be: membership fees, bequests and income from events, publications and professional activities.

Article 22

The executive committee shall compose a financial plan, which shall be approved by the main committee. After the expiry of the calendar year, it shall submit final accounts to the main committee.
 

The president, vice-president, treasurer of association or other authorised member of the executive committee shall make payment orders within the boundaries of the financial plan.
 

Two authorised persons shall sign payment orders.

Article 23

The financial and material business of association shall be public. Any member shall have the right to inspect the financial and material documentation.

VI. REPRESENTING OF ASSOCIATION

Article 24

The president of the Association shall represent association, and with his authority, a vice-president or member of the executive committee.

The association shall have a circular seal with the inscription Slovensko sodniško društvo (Slovenian Association of Judges).

VII. TERMINATION OF ASSOCIATION

Article 25

The association shall be terminated if the general assembly adopts a resolution on termination of Association.

VIII. ENSURING PUBLICITY FOR THE WORK OF ASSOCIATION

Article 26

The Association shall ensure publicity for its work with publications on the Association website, in professional publications and in other media.

IX. TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

Article 27

The Slovenian Association of Judges has operated since its founding in April 1971 according to the rules of the Statute adopted at that time. This Statute was harmonised with the provisions of the Societies Act and renamed “Rules of the Slovenian Association of Judges” at the second regular general assembly on 26.6.1975.

Article 28

These Rules shall take enter into validity on the day they are adopted by the general assembly, and shall start to be used with the business of holding elections to the official bodies of association at the next regular general assembly.

Article 29

Retired judges who are members of Association on the day the amendments to the Rules are adopted may continue membership of the association.

Professional associates who are members of the society on the day of adoption of the amendments to the Rules shall cease membership of association one year after these amendments to the Rules of the Association take effect.

Article 30

The official bodies of association shall complete their terms of office under the present Rules of Association.

Article 31

These amendments to the Rules entered into validity on 10 June 2004, when they were adopted by an extraordinary general assembly, and shall take effect with the holding of elections to the official bodies of Association at the next regular general assembly.