What is the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) and how does it work?

The Superior Court of Justice of Madrid is the maximum expression of the Judiciary in this autonomous community. It was established on May 23rd, 1989 as an integral body of the judicial structure. The Superior Courts of Justice arise from the planification provided for in article 26 of the Organic Law of the Judiciary.

It is made up of three Chambers of Justice:

1. Civil and Criminal Chamber

2. Contentious-Administrative Chamber

3. Chamber of the Social (Labor)

Civil and Criminal Chamber

The Civil and Criminal Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid hears criminal cases against certain persons who, due to their political/judicial position, such as, for example, senior representatives of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, and the investigation and judgment of the cases opened against judges, magistrates and members of the Public Prosecutor for crimes or misdemeanors committed in the exercise of their position, provided that this attribution does not correspond to the Supreme Court.

In addition, it hears appeals against decisions issued in the first instance by the Provincial Court (at the moment only in cases with a jury) and matters of jurisdiction between criminal courts based in the region that do not have another common superior body. .

The Civil and Criminal Chamber is chaired by the president of the TSJM. Two magistrates also form part of this Chamber, one of them appointed by the General Council of the Judiciary from a shortlist presented by the Madrid Assembly and made up of jurists of recognized prestige. After his appointment, the chosen candidate is considered, for all intents and purposes, a member of the Judicial Service. Currently the Chamber is completed by a third magistrate attached to it.

The Civil and Criminal Chamber of the TSJM is located at Calle General Castaños nº 1, Madrid.

Contentious-Administrative Chamber

The Contentious-Administrative Chamber is the supervisory body of public administrations in the Madrid region. Hears of the resources related to the acts of the local and autonomous entities, of the appeals promoted against the resolutions of the Contentious Courts and of the questions of competence between these courts.

Due to its enormous powers and functions, it is the most extensive Chamber of those that exist in Spain. It is made up of fifty-five magistrates in active service, divided into ten sections, and is located at Calle General Castaños nº 1.

Chamber of the Social

The Labor Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid is in charge of processes that affect the interests of workers and employers of a higher scope than the labor courts. Its jurisdiction also includes appeals against resolutions handed down by the Social Courts and the Commercial Courts in labor matters or in bankruptcy incidents that affect workers, as well as matters of competence between the social courts of the region.

The Labor Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid is made up of a president and twenty-one magistrates divided into six sections. It is located in an old palace on Calle General Martínez Campos, 27, Madrid.

Government Chamber

It is the internal governing body of the courts and tribunals in the region. Its main objective is the organization of the daily functioning of the courts and tribunals of the Autonomous Community.

The Government Chamber is made up of ten members and is representative in nature, since half of them are democratically elected by the judges and magistrates of the Autonomous Community.

The president of the Government Chamber is the president of the Superior Court of Justice of Madrid. They are ex officio members, in addition to him, the presidents of the Contentious-Administrative Chamber and the Social Chamber, the president of the Provincial Court, the Dean Judge and the secretary of the Government Chamber.