Dominican Republic Judicial Council Postpones Supreme Court Judge Evaluations

The National Judicial Council (CNM) of the Dominican Republic has scheduled a new session for September 8 to continue its performance evaluations of seven judges from the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ). This decision, made during a Friday session, aims to provide council members with adequate time to meticulously study the comprehensive reports covering the magistrates' seven-year tenures, as well as the transcripts from interviews conducted on August 25.

Despite the postponement of these specific evaluations, the CNM affirmed its commitment to the overall selection timeline. The process for filling four existing vacancies on the SCJ, and any additional positions that may emerge from the current assessments, is slated to begin on August 31. This selection process will consider candidates from the judicial career, legal professionals, and the academic sphere, adhering to constitutional and regulatory mandates.

The council emphasized that the evaluation of current judges will be completed before the broader selection process concludes. The seven judges under review are Justiniano Montero Montero, Francisco Jerez Mena, Vanessa Acosta Peralta, Samuel Arias Arzeno, Alejandro Bello Ferreras, Fran Soto Sánchez, and Rafael Vásquez Goico.

According to the council's regulations, the CNM will hold as many meetings as necessary after the deadline for responding to objections to finalize the evaluation of the submitted judges. The assessment will consider submitted documents, received information, and individual interviews, alongside personal and professional qualities, to determine the confirmation of the magistrates. Performance reports for the evaluated judges are publicly accessible on the CNM's electronic portal.