Supreme Court of Spain

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the Kingdom of Spain. The court has original jurisdiction over cases against high-ranking officials of the Kingdom and over cases regarding the legalization of political parties. It also has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all cases. The Court has the power of judicial review, except for the judicial revision on constitutional matters, reserved to the Constitutional Court.
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Some of the key events about Supreme Court of Spain

  • 1812
    Established as the highest court in Spain by the Constitution of Cádiz
  • 1870
    Reorganized and given its modern structure through the Organic Law on Judicial Power
  • 1931
    Granted the power to review the constitutionality of laws under the Second Spanish Republic
  • 1936
    Supported the Nationalist faction during the Spanish Civil War, compromising judicial independence
  • 1939
    Participated in post-Civil War repression by validating politically motivated trials
  • 1963
    Upheld death sentences for political dissidents during Franco's dictatorship
  • 1975
    Failed to adequately address human rights violations committed during the Franco era
  • 1978
    Reaffirmed as Spain's highest judicial body in the post-Franco democratic constitution
  • 1981
    Delayed ruling on the legality of the attempted coup d'état, causing political uncertainty
  • 1985
    Expanded jurisdiction to include appeals on constitutional grounds through the Organic Law of the Judiciary
  • 1995
    Introduced a new Criminal Code, modernizing Spanish criminal law
  • 1997
    Controversial ruling in the GAL case, perceived as protecting state-sponsored terrorism
  • 2005
    Ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, upholding its constitutionality
  • 2008
    Suspended a judge for investigating Franco-era crimes, hindering historical memory efforts
  • 2010
    Issued a landmark decision on the rights of Basque separatists to form political parties
  • 2015
    Upheld the "Parot Doctrine," affecting sentencing for serious crimes
  • 2017
    Rejected appeals against the application of Article 155 in Catalonia, escalating political tensions
  • 2019
    Made a significant ruling on mortgage law, protecting consumers from unfair banking practices
  • 2019
    Sentenced Catalan independence leaders to lengthy prison terms, sparking widespread protests
  • 2021
    Ruled against pardons for Catalan independence leaders, contradicting government reconciliation efforts

Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.

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