Society presentation

The Slovenian Association of Judges was founded in Otočec by Novo mesto on 24th April 1971 as a professional, non-political, voluntary and non-profit organisation, grouping of individual Slovene judges. The Rules were adopted at an founding general assembly, last amended at an extraordinary general assembly on 10th June 2004.   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.

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.

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.

For the professional meetings and lectures study commissions are very important. They organise lectures and professional meetings in administrative, civil, commercial, criminal, labour, juvenile, investigating, misdemeanour matters and also organise sport activities.

Code of Judicial Ethics was first adopted already on 10th October 1972 and was a very first code of ethics in this part of Europe. It was renewed and amended with explanation in June 2001.

The Code of Judicial Ethics contains professional and personal ethical rules for judges, which are enshrined in the form of principles. These principles are based on the general standpoint that judges, both individually and collectively, must respect the honour and reputation of the judicial service and endeavour to strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.

The Slovenian Association of Judges become a regular member of the International Association of Judges in 1994, and since that time take an active part in their activities as well as in the activities of it's regional organisation European Association of Judges.

In 2005 The Slovenian Association of Judges become a member of The European Association of Administrative Judges.

The Slovenian Association of Judges take an active part in legislative procedures, specially those, concerning status of judges.

EXPLANATION OF THE SYMBOL OF THE ASSOCIATION

The symbol is composed of the following symbolic design elements:

1. Stylized pan of the scales
   The pan of the scales is stylized in the shape of an equilateral triangle, which repeats the symbol of the scales – the balance (impartiality). Besides a circle and other n-gons the triangle is the only perfect geometric form. Therefore in the iconography it often appears like a symbol of God. The representation arises from the Platonic Philosophy which equal the Good (the Absolute) to the Truth (the whole Truth).
2. Stylized book
   The book – Codex as such is an unambiguous symbol, which speaks for itself. Yet, in this case it is stylized as a graphical element used to depict the sea in the Slovenian coat of arms.
   This is why this symbol is not only a sign of legality - it alludes to localism as well as to the universalism (at least in the framework of the western concept of the World and Society).
3. Stylized arm of the scales
   Has a purely aesthetic function; it is a derivative of the lines of a book which wraps up the sign.
4. The name of the Association
   The sign as a whole is interesting; graphically and substantially it binds tradition - originating from the cradle of European thought (legal and philosophic) and contemporaneity as well as localism and universalism.