Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
PART 4.
COMPOSITION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE COURT
Article 34
Organs of the Court
The Court shall be composed of the following organs:
(a)
The Presidency;
(b)
An Appeals Division, a Trial Division and a Pre-Trial Division;
(c)
The Office of the Prosecutor;
(d)
The Registry.
Article 35
Service of judges
1.
All judges shall be elected as full-time members of the Court and shall be available to serve on that basis
from the commencement of their terms of office.
2.
The judges composing the Presidency shall serve on a full-time basis as soon as they are elected.
3.
The Presidency may, on the basis of the workload of the Court and in consultation with its members, decide
from time to time to what extent the remaining judges shall be required to serve on a full-time basis. Any
such arrangement shall be without prejudice to the provisions of article 40.
4.
The financial arrangements for judges not required to serve on a full-time basis shall be made in accordance
with article 49.
Article 36
Qualifications, nomination and election of judges
1.
Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2, there shall be 18 judges of the Court.
2.
(a)
The Presidency, acting on behalf of the Court, may propose an increase in the number of judges
specified in paragraph 1, indicating the reasons why this is considered necessary and appropriate
The Registrar shall promptly circulate any such proposal to all States Parties.
(b)
Any such proposal shall then be considered at a meeting of the Assembly of States Parties to be
convened in accordance with article 112. The proposal shall be considered adopted if approved at the
meeting by a vote of two thirds of the members of the Assembly of States Parties and shall enter into
force at such time as decided by the Assembly of States Parties.
(c)
(i)
Once a proposal for an increase in the number of judges has been adopted under subparagraph
(b), the election of the additional judges shall take place at the next session of the Assembly of
States Parties in accordance with paragraphs 3 to 8, and article 37, paragraph 2;
(ii)
Once a proposal for an increase in the number of judges has been adopted and brought
into effect under subparagraphs (b) and (c) (i), it shall be open to the Presidency at any time
thereafter, if the workload of the Court justifies it, to propose a reduction in the number
of judges, provided that the number of judges shall not be reduced below that specified in
paragraph 1. The proposal shall be dealt with in accordance with the procedure laid down in
subparagraphs (a) and (b). In the event that the proposal is adopted, the number of judges shall
be progressively decreased as the terms of office of serving judges expire, until the necessary
number has been reached.
3.
(a)
The judges shall be chosen from among persons of high moral character, impartiality and integrity
who possess the qualifications required in their respective States for appointment to the highest
judicial offices.
(b)
Every candidate for election to the Court shall:
(i)
Have established competence in criminal law and procedure, and the necessary relevant
experience, whether as judge, prosecutor, advocate or in other similar capacity, in criminal
proceedings; or
(ii)
Have established competence in relevant areas of international law such as international
humanitarian law and the law of human rights, and extensive experience in a professional
legal capacity which is of relevance to the judicial work of the Court;
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