ABSTRACT

The Supreme Court exercises control over the administration of justice, but in some cases functions also as a second instance court; it also has certain other competences (cf.ch.9(6)). The Supreme Court decides in benches of three judges, seven judges, the whole house, several houses or a whole assembly. The Supreme Administrative Court exercises control over the legality of administrative decisions. The Constitutional Tribunal exercises control over the constitutionality of statutes and sub-statutory acts, and the legality of sub-statutory acts in respect of their consistency and coherence with statutes. The Tribunal of State decides questions of the constitutional responsibility of the highest officials of the state when they are accused by the Sejm, that

is, by the Polish Parliament. The Supreme Court is the most active of all the highest

courts, and deals extensively with interpretational issues. The Supreme Administrative Court deals with a far more limited number of cases. The Constitutional Tribunal has only recently come into action and tries very few cases, about a dozen or so a year. The Tribunal of State has had only one case, and it was discontinued because of the amnesty.