Legal Forum Congratulates Justice Minister Neeman on his Appointment, Requests Resumption of Judicial Appointments and Friedmann Reforms (4.1.09)

The Legal Forum for the Land of Israel congratulated Professor Yaakov Neeman on his appointment as Justice Minister and reminded him of the need to convene the Judicial Nominations Committee as soon as possible, to combat the severe shortage of judges.

“It has already been over five months that the Committee has not assembled,” Nachi Eyal, the General Director of the Legal Forum told Neeman.

Prior to the elections, Israel Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch requested Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann to suspend the Judicial Nominations Committee, stating that the government was a “transitional” one which did not have the authority to make such decisions.

It is believed that Beinisch, who has often spoken out against Friedmann because of his opposition to the growth in the Supreme Court’s power, merely wanted Friedmann gone before new judges were approved.

Eyal cited Judge Hila Gerstl, President of the Central District Court, as having described the situation as so bad that she feared it could reach the point that criminal defendants could be detained for “many months without their trial even starting . . . due to the fact that there are no additional Judges who can hear these cases.”

Eyal also requested that Neeman continue with reforms initiated by Friedmann, citing the lack of public confidence in the justice system and the need to strengthen the Jewish and democratic nature of the state.

Friedmann’s reforms included not only appointing new judges, but legislation which would add more democratic representatives to the Judicial Nomination Committee (only four of its nine members are appointed by the Government and Knesset), and delineating how and when the Supreme Court could use the power of judicial review, which it currently does despite Israel’s lack of a written constitution.

Click here for the English translation of the Letter.