Apostolic Signatura

Apostolic Signatura

The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church (apart from the Pope himself, who as the supreme ecclesiastical judge, is the final point of appeal for any ecclesiastical judgment). In addition, it oversees the administration of justice in the Church.

The current Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (since June 27, 2008) is Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, previously Archbishop of St. Louis, Missouri and Bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The current Secretary (since April 12, 2008) is Archbishop Frans Daneels, O. Praem..

The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is housed in the Italian Renaissance-era Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome, Italy, which also is the headquarters and meeting place of the Roman Catholic Church's other two Tribunals. The Apostolic Signatura only hears appeals from these two tribunals, who normally have final and universal (worldwide Church) appellate jurisdiction over their respective areas of competence, if some process was in error or there is an inter-agency conflict, and not usually in regards to the judgment which was made or the merits of the case. The two other Tribunals located there are the Sacred Roman Rota (which is normally the final appellate tribunal of the Church for most court cases, especially regarding marriage nullity, decisions of Bishops, and ecclesiastical trials and disciplinary procedures), and the Apostolic Penitentiary (which is normally the Church's final appellate tribunal regarding all matters having to do with the forgiveness of sins and the proper celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation- Confession, or Penance).