tion shall be governed by the accusatory system and in accordance with the Organic Code of Military Justice. The commission of common crimes, human rights violations and violations of humanity rights shall be judged by the courts of the ordinary jurisdiction. Military courts jurisdiction is limited to offenses of a military nature. Insofar as not provided for in this Constitution, special jurisdiction and the competence, organization and functioning of the courts shall be regulated by law.
Section Two: Supreme Tribunal of Justice
Article 262: The Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall sit in plenary
session and in Constitutional, Political/Administrative, Electoral,
Civil Appeal, Criminal Appeal, and Social Appeal Divisions, whose
composition and competence shall be determined by the pertinent
organic act. The Social Division shall encompass matters relating to
appeals involving agrarian matters, labor matters and minors.
Article 263: To be a justice of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, a
person must:
- (1) Have Venezuelan nationality by birth.
- (2) Be recognized as an honorable citizen.
- (3) Be a jurist of recognized competence; enjoy a good reputation; have a minimum of 15 years experience practicing law and have a post0graduate degree in law, or have at least 15 years experience as a university professor of law, having obtained the rank of full professor; or be or have been a superior court judge in the specialty of the division for which he is a candidate, having been a sitting judge for at least 15 years and gained recognized prestige in the performance of his duties.
- (4) Any other requirements established by law.
Article 264: The justices of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall
be elected for a single term of 12 years. The election procedure shall
be determined by law. In all cases, candidates may be proposed to the
