The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in Israel; its precedents are binding not only on all lower courts, but on all persons and State institutions. The judiciary, the executive and the legislature (the Knesset) constitute the three branches of government.

The State of Israel's court system is comprised of three levels: Magistrates' Courts, District Courts and The Supreme Court. Magistrates' Courts are courts of original jurisdiction for lesser claims in civil cases and for lesser offenses in criminal cases. District Courts are courts of original jurisdiction for civil and criminal cases beyond the authority of the Magistrates' Courts. District Courts also hear appeals from Magistrates' Courts. The Supreme Court hears appeals from different sources: from District Court decisions in both civil and criminal cases and from decisions of special courts.

The Supreme Court also functions as the High Court of Justice with original jurisdiction for petitions brought by individuals against acts and decisions of State and Local authorities or against individuals in public office. It may also order the release of persons unlawfully detained or whose movements are unlawfully restricted. The Supreme Court, sitting as The High Court of Justice, may review the decisions of courts and tribunals which may have acted beyond the scope of their authority.

Three Justices usually constitute a Supreme Court panel. In special instances the Supreme Court may sit in odd-numbered panels of more than three. The Supreme Court may conduct a rehearing when a decision of the Court conflicts with an earlier ruling or where the importance, difficulty or novelty of the decision makes a further hearing desirable. Under certain circumstances, the President of the Supreme Court, the Deputy President or another justice authorized by the President, may order the retrial of a criminal case in which a final judgment has been given by a lower court. The Supreme Court, as all lower courts, may also invalidate statutes that violate human rights set down in "The Basic Laws of the State of Israel."

The Supreme Court Building
From the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 until 1992, the Supreme Court was housed in rented quarters in Jerusalem's Russian Compound. In 1984, Dorothy de Rothschild proposed to the government of Israel that Yad Hanadiv (the Rothschild Foundation) plan and construct a permanent home for the Supreme Court in Kiryat David Ben Gurion, the government center in Jerusalem. She stated that this project was a dream of her late husband, James de Rothschild, who in 1957 donated the funds to build the Knesset. It was Mrs. de Rothschild's belief that a new Supreme Court building would be an appropriate way to commemorate her husband's work in Israel and to mark the centennial of the first agricultural settlements supported by James' father, Baron Edmond de Rothschild (Hanadiv Hayadua, the "well-known benefactor"). An architectural competition was held in 1986. The winners were the brother-and-sister team of Ram Karmi and Ada Karmi-Melamede from Tel Aviv.

A Tour of the Supreme Court
The building incorporates several contrasts: inside and outside, old and new, lines and circles.
•    Inside and outside. Natural light and walled spaces suggest inside and outside areas.
•    Old and new. Architectural elements from Israel's history, and in particular from the history of Jerusalem, are found throughout the building.
•    Lines and circles. Concepts of law and justice are expressed visually. Lines represent law and circles represent justice. "You are righteous…and Your laws are straight," (Psalms 119:137). "He leads me in circles of justice," (Psalms 23:3).

The Main Entrance
Visitors walking along the Dorothy de Rothschild Promenade leading to the Court pass walls which recall those of the Old City of Jerusalem.

At the entrance, visitors walk along a path that connects the Supreme Court building to the Knesset (Israel's parliament). Visitors enter the Court through a security check beyond which is a stairway resembling an old Jerusalem street. The wall of unhewn stone on the right is similar to walls of buildings in ancient Jerusalem. Mirrors in the open space at the base of the wall create the illusion that the building's foundation extends deep into the earth. This illusion also suggests the foundations of the Old City of Jerusalem. The wall on the left is modern, white and unadorned.

The Panoramic Window
The curved window at the top of the stairs floods the area with natural light and provides a view of the city, including the nineteenth century neighborhood of Nachla'ot, easily recognized by its red roofs. Visitors are now standing on the east-west axis of the building. This axis reflects the growth of the city – from east to west. The westward growth is seen in the development of the National Precinct, the site of government buildings, including the Knesset, the Supreme Court, the Offices of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Ministry.The Panoramic Window of the Supreme Court

The Pyramid
Walking toward the library, one enters the pyramid area, a large space that serves as a turning point before the entrance to the courtrooms. This serene space acts as the inner "gate house" of the Supreme Court building. The pyramid was inspired by Zacharia's Tomb and Yad Avshalom in the Yehoshafat Valley in Jerusalem. Natural light enters round windows at the apex of the pyramid, forming circles of sunlight on the inside walls and on the floor.

The Library
The library surrounds the pyramid. The volumes, which contain centuries of legal thinking from many countries, embody principles of social justice and moral values. The prominence of the library and its proximity to the entrance to the courtrooms affirms the centrality of law in Jewish history.The Library of the Supreme Court in jeursalem

The Foyer
The foyer of the courtroom area expresses all the architectural contrasts of the building: inside and outside, old and new, lines and circles. The natural stone wall on the left is a continuation of the wall that begins at the entrance to the building. Courts in biblical times were situated at the gates of the city. "You will appoint judges and officers in all your gates…and they will judge people with a just judgment…" (Deuteronomy 16:18). The three-tiered design of the courtroom entrances represents these gates and is reminiscent of the three-tiered design used for entrances to many public buildings in the ancient Near East. On the right, in striking contrast to the rough stone wall, is a modern white wall with high niches and seating for the public. Natural light enters these niches through pyramid-shaped skylights and creates changing shadows on the white walls during the day.

The Courtrooms
While the courtrooms differ in size and interior design, their basic structure is similar. Natural light enters through skylights located between the outer walls and the columns. The columns themselves suggest a separation between inside and outside. Each courtroom (except Courtroom 1) has a prisoner's dock and a press box. Just below the Justices' dais, a law clerk and a stenographer sit at a small desk. Lawyers sit at the semi-circular table facing the Justices.

Visitors may enter the courtrooms during the proceedings, but most observe rules of conduct. Please turn off all electrical equipment such as cell phones and paging devices and do not take photographs during court proceedings.The Courtrooms of the Supreme Court

The Knesset Passageway
Leaving the courtrooms, the visitor turns right toward the administration wing. From the window, visitors can see the passageway which leads from the Supreme Court directly to the Knesset. This path, on the north-south axis of the building, represents both the connection and the separation between the legislative and the judicial branches of government.

The Symbols
At the entrance to the administrative wing, visitors pass a wall design consisting of nine symbols representing various areas of the Court. Each symbol is made of the building material used in the area depicted.

The Administrative Departments
The administrative departments of the Court serve lawyers who file appeals in civil and criminal cases. Here too, the public may submit petitions to the High Court of Justice.

The Courtyard of the Arches

The Justices' chambers, located on the top floor of the building above the Courtyard of the Arches, are not open to the public. The Justices are thereby able to work in a quiet environment, separated from the litigants who appear before them. Each chamber consists of an office for law clerks, one for a secretary and a separate office for the Justice.The Arches Yard in the Supreme Court of Israel

The Courtyard, made of stone, suggests the arid conditions of the desert which borders Jerusalem. A narrow water channel bisects the Courtyard. The arches resemble the gates of Jerusalem during the Roman period. The stone quarried from the earth and the water reflecting the sky represent the biblical symbols of truth and justice. The courtyard is inspired by a verse from Psalms, "Truth will spring up from the earth and justice will be reflected from the heavens," (Psalms 85:12).

General Information

Supreme Court Visiting Hours
The Court is open Sunday through Thursday, 8:30 - 14:30.

Public Tours
For individuals or groups of less than ten people:
11:00 – Hebrew
12:00 – English
Summer hours vary. Please call for updated information.

Group Tours
Groups or more than ten people are welcome by appointment only. Guided tours are available. Please make reservations at least one month in advance.

Touch Tour
A touch tour of the building is available for groups of blind and visually impaired visitors. Please call to schedule.

Admission
Entrance is free of charge.

Elevators
Elevators are located at the entrance, just past the Security Desk, to the left of the main stairway.

Services for Visitors with Special Needs
To take an elevator to the cafeteria, please request assistance from security personnel in the courtroom area. A Wheelchair is available on request at the front desk.

Restrooms
There are four locations: pass the Security Desk at the entrance, to the left of the main staircase; on the first floor, to the right of the window facing the Knesset; at the end of the courtroom foyer; on the cafeteria level.

Public Phones
There are two locations: on the first floor, to the left of the entrance to the Courtyard of the Arches; at the end of the courtroom foyer.

Cafeteria
The cafeteria is at the bottom of the staircase opposite the central courtroom.

Gifts and Books
Small souvenirs, postcards and books about the Supreme Court are available for purchase.

Post Office
A post office is located in the building.

Cameras
Photography is prohibited in courtrooms that are in session, but is permitted elsewhere in the building.

Smoking
Smoking is prohibited throughout the building except in designated outside areas.

Department of Public Affairs
Telephone: 02-6759612/3
Fax: 02-6527118
E-mail: marcia@supreme.court.gov.il