Judiciary
The Vatican City has a distinct legal system from that of the Government of Italy. John Allen, a CNN Vatican analyst, says that the court system usually prosecutes minor crimes, such as pick pocketing, and usually the Vatican legal system gives out limited penalties. The Vatican may request that a serious crime be tried in the Italian judicial system.
The pope's judicial authority is exercised through the Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, as he by law serves also as the President of the Cassation Court of Vatican City (i.e. the highest court of appeal) and the Dean of the Roman Rota as President of the Appellate Court of Vatican City. In fact, most crimes are prosecuted by and handled in the courts of by the Republic of Italy, by agreement between the Vatican and the Italian government.
Read more about this topic: Government Of Vatican City
Famous quotes containing the word judiciary:
“The judiciary has fallen to a very low state in this country. I think your part of the country has suffered especially. The federal judges of the South are a disgrace to any country, and I’ll be damned if I put any man on the bench of whose character and ability there is the least doubt.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)