Supreme Court of Neo Kingston

The Supreme Court of Neo Kingston (SCNK) is the highest central court and court of last resort in Neo Kingston. Established in 1911, it has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all central and parish courts. Following the abolition of the Constitutional Court in 1997 the Supreme Court became the final interpreter of constitutional law in Neo Kingston.

Composition

Size of the Court

The Supreme Court was founded in 1911 with seven justices and the President constitutionally holding full discretion of the number of justices sitting. Justices were appointed to a life tenure. The maximum number of justices simultaneously on the Court peaked at ten in 1953 and in 1955 the Judiciary Act of 1955 removed discretion of number of sitting justices from the President to the Parliament. The Supreme Court (Constitutional Amendment) Act of 1980 entrenched in the Constitution a maximum size of nine justices and introduced a conditional retirement age of 75 years for all justices.

Appointment

The President of the United Neo Nations appoints justices with full discretion, although appointments may be halted by a supermajority in both Houses of Parliament (the House of Representatives and the Senate).

Tenure

The Constitution provides that justices shall hold their office for the remainder of their life up to 75 years of age, at which point conditional retirement becomes active. Conditional retirement provides the President with the power to force the retirement of a justice with immediate replacement. The use of the conditional retirement process is at the discretion of the President. Without the enforcement of conditional retirement, justices hold their office from appointment to death unless they are impeached by the Parliament, resign or retire.