Bill to require specialized judges in gender violencegender violence Violence a woman suffers from a current or former partner because she is a woman. courts

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would provide that seats in the violence against women sections of the trial courts be considered criminal in nature and filled by judges who prove specialization through tests set by the General Council of the Judiciary. If none are available, priority would go to those with the most service in these bodies in the previous five years.
2. It would also provide that magistrate seats in the provincial court sections specialized in violence against women be filled by those who prove specialization, or failing that, by those with the most service in these bodies in the previous ten years.
3. It would remove the rule that gave these courts the investigation of the crime of breaching a sentence when the victim is the suspect's wife or partner, and would delete the corresponding provision in the Criminal Procedure Act.
4. The General Council of the Judiciary would have to approve the rules for the specialization tests within three months, and the Government would have to increase the number of violence against women sections, with more resources, funding and specialized judge positions.
5. The Council would periodically hold a specialized course on the forms of violence against women, and the Government would promote similar training courses for public prosecutors.
6. The law would take effect the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette, except measures with budget costs, which would wait until the following fiscal year. The second article and the second additional provision would have the rank of ordinary law.

Who it affects

• Judges and magistrates seeking gender violence posts: They would need to prove specialization through tests or have prior experience in the field to get these seats.
• Women victims of gender violence: They would be served by more specialized court sections with more resources.
• General Council of the Judiciary: It would have to develop the specialization tests and training courses within three months.
• Government: It would have to add sections, resources and judge positions, and fund the organizational changes, including for regional governments with justice powers.

Words worth knowing

Tribunales de instancia (trial courts)

New courts that the judicial efficiency law plans to create to replace the current first instance and criminal courts.

Audiencias provinciales (provincial courts)

Courts that review rulings issued by the trial courts of each province.

Consejo General del Poder Judicial

The body that governs the courts and organizes the competitions to fill judge positions.

Quebrantamiento de condena (breach of sentence)

The crime committed by someone who fails to comply with a sentence, a precautionary measure or a security measure imposed by a court.

Ley orgánica (organic law)

A type of law reserved for major matters, such as the organization of the judiciary, which requires enhanced majorities to pass.

gender violence

Violence a woman suffers from a current or former partner because she is a woman.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries