Supreme Court asks Levin to begin process for new judicial appointments

The three most senior judges on the Supreme Court write to Justice Minister Yariv Levin asking him to convene the Judicial Selection Committee and begin the process of filling over two dozen vacant positions on courts around the country.

In their letter, Supreme Court President Isaac Amit, Deputy Supreme Court President Noam Sohlberg, and Judge Daphne Erez Barak point out that there are 30 empty positions, with more set to open up over the course of this year and note that the appointments process takes several months.

Sources close to Levin have said that the minister is unlikely to convene the Judicial Selection Committee again during the tenure of the current Knesset, following the far-reaching legislation passed in March changing the judicial appointments process.

The new system gives politicians far more power over the appointments process than they enjoy under the current system, but the legislation only takes effect after the next elections.

There are three open positions on the Supreme Court that Levin has refused to fill since October 2023.

The Supreme Court, in its capacity as the High Court of Justice, ordered Levin to appoint a new Supreme Court president in January this year after petitions were submitted to the court on the issue, due to his refusal to do so following former chief justice Esther Hayut’s retirement in October 2023.

Ongoing refusal to convene the Judicial Selection Committee now will likely result in new petitions to the High Court by government watchdogs.

Petitions have already been filed against the new judicial selection law, which the High Court will consider.