Federal Judiciary Council of Mexico
Introduction
The Federal Judiciary Council (Consejo de la Judicatura Federal, CJF) is the administrative and disciplinary body of the federal judiciary in Mexico. Established by the 1994 judicial reform, the CJF is responsible for the administration, supervision, and discipline of the federal judiciary, including the appointment, promotion, evaluation, and removal of judges and magistrates. The 2024 judicial reform has substantially modified the CJF’s composition and functions.
Composition
Prior to the 2024 reform, the CJF was composed of seven members: the Chief Justice of the SCJN (who presides); two SCJN ministers; one circuit magistrate; one district judge; and two external members appointed by the Senate (one of whom was a lawyer with professional experience). The 2024 reform restructured the CJF, eliminating the participation of circuit magistrates and district judges and transferring appointment powers to the newly created Judicial Discipline Tribunal.
Functions
The CJF exercises: administrative functions (budget management, infrastructure, technology, and human resources); judicial appointment functions (competitive examinations for judges and magistrates); evaluation functions (performance evaluations of judicial personnel); disciplinary functions (investigation and sanction of judicial misconduct); and educational functions (training through the Federal Judicial School).
Judicial Appointments
Federal judges and magistrates are appointed through competitive examinations (concursos de oposición) administered by the CJF. The examination process evaluates candidates’ legal knowledge, practical skills, and professional qualifications. Appointments are based on merit, with promotions determined by performance evaluations and seniority. The 2024 reform replaced this system with popular election for all federal judicial positions.
Discipline
The CJF has disciplinary authority over federal judges and magistrates, with the power to investigate misconduct and impose sanctions including: warnings; fines; suspension; and removal. Grounds for discipline include: negligence; delay in rendering decisions; abuse of authority; corruption; and violations of judicial ethics. Disciplinary proceedings follow due process, with the right to defense and appeal.
The 2024 Reform and Transition
The 2024 judicial reform significantly altered the CJF’s role. The popular election of judges transferred appointment functions from the CJF to the electoral process. The reform created a separate Judicial Discipline Tribunal (Tribunal de Disciplina Judicial) to handle judicial discipline. The CJF retains administrative and evaluation functions but with a restructured composition.
Conclusion
The Federal Judiciary Council has been the central administrative and disciplinary body for the federal judiciary, responsible for ensuring judicial competence, integrity, and efficiency. The 2024 judicial reform has transformed the CJF’s role, shifting appointment functions to popular election and disciplinary functions to the Judicial Discipline Tribunal.