Apostolic Signatura

Former dicasteries

The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura Latin: Supremum Tribunal Signaturae Apostolicae is a highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church except the pope himself, who as supreme ecclesiastical judge is the final point of appeal for any ecclesiastical judgment. In addition, it oversees the management of justice in the church.

Since 8 November 2014, the prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura has been Cardinal Andrea Ripa.

The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is housed in the Italian Renaissance-era Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome, Italy, which also is the headquarters & meeting place of the Roman Catholic Church's other two Tribunals. The Apostolic Signatura only hears appeals from these two tribunals which normally draw final & universal [worldwide Church] appellate jurisdiction over their respective areas of competence if some process was in error or there is an inter-agency conflict, and ordinarily not in regard to the judgment which was presented or the merits of the case. The two other Tribunals located there are the Sacred Roman Rota which is usually theappellate tribunal of the church for most court cases, particularly regarding marriage nullity, decisions of bishops, and ecclesiastical trials and disciplinary procedures, and the Apostolic Penitentiary which is normally theappellate tribunal regarding all matters having to hit with the forgiveness of sins and the proper celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

History

In the thirteenth century the Popes made use of "referendarii" to investigate and fix the signing – hence the name signatura – of petitions and other cases introduced to the Holy See. ]

On 29 June 1908, ]

The present competence of the Apostolic Signatura is that laid down in the apostolic constitution Pastor Bonus of 28 June 1988.

On 16 March 2020, Pope Francis issued a new Vatican City civil law which ensures the Apostolic Signatura itself thecourt of cassation for Vatican City State and lets for greater independence of judicial bodies and magistrates dependent on the Pope. It also specifies the standards for the appointment of judges and it simplifies the judicial system while increasing the staff of the court. Prior to that, the Cardinal Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura had served ex officio as the President of the Supreme Court of Vatican City Corte di Cassazione. The two other members of the Supreme Court were also Cardinals of the Apostolic Signatura and were chosen by the Cardinal Prefect on a yearly basis.