Requirements to be a Judge

General requirements under the Constitution

To be a judge requires:

1. To be Dominican.
2. Be in the full exercise of civil and political rights.
3. Hold a degree or doctorate in law.
4. The transfer of judges of the Judicial Branch.
5. Other functions conferred by law.

Specific requirements under the Constitution

Supreme Court Justices

1. To be a judge of the Supreme Court of Justice is required:
2. Be Dominican by birth or origin and be over thirty-five years of age.
3. Be in full exercise of civil and political rights.
4. Hold a degree or doctorate in law.
5. To have exercised for at least twelve years the profession of lawyer, the university teaching of law or to have performed, for the same period of time, the functions of judge within the Judiciary or representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office. These periods may be accumulated.

Judges of the Courts of Appeals

To be a judge of a Court of Appeals requires:

1.  To be Dominican.
2.  Be in the full exercise of civil and political rights.
3.  Hold a degree or doctorate in law.
4.  Belong to the judicial career and have served as a judge of First Instance for the period of time determined by law.

Judges of the Courts of First Instance

To be a judge of first instance it is required:

1.  To be Dominican.
2.  Be in the full exercise of civil and political rights.
3.  Hold a degree or doctorate in law.
4.  Belong to the judicial career and have served as Justice of the Peace for the time determined by law.

Justices of the Peace

To be a justice of the peace you need:

1.  To be Dominican.
2.  Be in the full exercise of civil and political rights.
3.  Hold a degree or doctorate in law.

Other requirements

In addition to the Constitution of the Republic, Law No. 327-98, of August 11, 1998, on Judicial Careers, its implementing regulations and Resolution No. 1960/08, of June 19, 2008, on the Judicial Ranking System and the System for the Provision of Judicial Positions establish other requirements for judges:

1.  To have at least two (2) years of having obtained the exequatur.
2.  Not to have been sentenced to an afflictive or infamous penalty.
3.  Approve the theoretical and practical training programs dictated by the National School of the Judiciary.