President Demetris Christofias made the appointment on Tuesday. Paschalides will replace Judge Takis Eliades who retired recently making up the 13th judge serving in the Supreme Court.
Paschalides served as the President of Limassol’s Assize Court since September 2007. From 2004 he was President of the Cyprus Association of Judges and from 2006 he was honorary lecturer on legal matters at the police academy. He has also been a member of the European Commission of Racism and Intolerance since 2008. The ECRI is the Council of Europe’s independent human rights monitoring body specialised in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, anti-semitism and intolerance.
Paschalides has represented Cyprus at various international and European conferences as both a judge and president as the Judges Association.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the Republic. It is composed of thirteen judges, of whom one is the President. Once appointed a judge cannot be removed except under very exceptional circumstances. Supreme Court Judges hold office until the age of 68. The judges of all other courts retire at the age of 63.
The Supreme Court has a number of jurisdictions including hearing and determining all appeals from lower courts in civil and criminal matters, the review of administrative decisions, to issue prerogative writs, appellate jurisdiction in admiralty cases and the interpretation and application of electoral laws. It also has the jurisdiction to examine the constitutionality of any law or any conflict of power or competence which arises between any organs or authorities of the Republic. In addition the Supreme Court hears and determines any recourse by the President of the Republic regarding the compatibility with the constitution of any law enacted by the House of Representatives.
By Alexia Saoulli, Cyprus Mail, August 28, 2009
