Acting President's Statement  Isaac Amit

Welcome to the website of the Israeli Judiciary, which constitutes part of the efforts to increase the accessibility of the Judiciary's activities to the public.

Here you may find information about the courts and their work, and about presiding and retired judges and registrars. The website also includes useful information on the Judiciary as a whole; a hyperlink to the website of the Law Enforcement and Collection System Authority; various reports on the work of the court system; as well as judgments of the Supreme Court. The Net Hamishpat system – which serves as a case management platform for various courts – may also be accessed through this website.

The court system consists of approximately 850 judges and 60 registrars. The main role of the court system is to resolve disputes between individuals, as well as between individuals and the government. Israel has three main judicial instances: Magistrates' Courts, District Courts, and the Supreme Court. Alongside them operates an independent system of Labor Courts.

The authorities of the courts are stipulated, inter alia, in the Courts Law [Consolidated Version], 5744-1984. Magistrates' Courts mainly hear monetary claims of up to 2.5 million NIS, and criminal cases with sentences of up to 7 years' imprisonment. Magistrates' Courts also serve as specialized courts for various matters, including Family Courts, Municipal Courts, Traffic Courts, Juvenile Courts, Community Courts, and Small Claims Courts. District Courts hear civil claims and criminal cases that are not within the jurisdiction of Magistrates' Courts, and they also serve as appellate courts for judgments handed down in Magistrates' Courts. Magistrates' Courts and District Courts are divided by geographical districts.

At the top of the judicial pyramid stands the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court serves as an appellate court on judgments of District Courts (by right of appeal) and on judgments of Magistrates' Courts (by leave of appeal). The Supreme Court also serves as the High Court of Justice, which is authorized to carry out judicial review of decisions made by other state branches and various tribunals.

The workload of the Israeli Judiciary is among the heaviest in the world; in recent years, over 850,000 cases were filed in the courts annually. The Israeli Judiciary makes every effort to provide legal services that are professional, efficient, fair, and just.

I hope that visitors find this website useful. Any queries may be directed to the Freedom of Information Law Officer in the Courts Administration, to the website manager, or to the public inquiries box available on the website.