Basic information

WHAT IS THE BAR ASSOCIATION AT THE COURT OF CASSATION?

The Bar Association of the Court of Cassation is a legal person under public law. The Order has its seat in the Palais de Justice, Place Poelaert, 1000 Brussels.

COMPOSITION

The lawyers at the Court of Cassation together form the Bar Association at the Court of Cassation (art. 480 of the Judicial Code). It is also called the Supreme Court Bar or the cassation bar.

The number of lawyers at the Court of Cassation is determined by Royal Decree, after advice from the Court of Cassation (art. 478 of the Judicial Code). The number is currently set at twenty (Royal Decree of 10 August 1998).

Lawyers at the Court of Cassation are appointed by the King from a list of three candidates drawn up by an advisory committee composed of lawyers, magistrates and university professors. Candidates must have been registered at the Bar for at least ten years and have passed the examination organised by the Bar Council at the Court of Cassation (Articles 478 and 478a of the Judicial Code). For that examination, see the tab Training in cassation technique and procedure.

Before taking up his office at the Court of Cassation, a lawyer takes (again) the oath prescribed for all lawyers before the Court of Cassation (art. 478 of the Judicial Code).

CHIEF OF STAFF AND COUNCIL (ART. 480 OF THE JUDICIAL CODE)

The cassation desk is headed by the head of the Bar Association, who has the title of President of the Bar Association. The rod holder is assisted by a Council consisting of five members, including the rod holder.

The composition of the Bar Council for the judicial year 2023-2024 is as follows:

Rod holder

Me Caroline De Baets

Members

Mr Paul Lefebvre

Me Jacqueline Oosterbosch

Mr Paul Alain Foriers

Me Michèle Grégoire

SECRETARY

The secretariat of the Order is located on the second floor of the west wing of the courthouse, at the end of the corridor opposite the library of the Court of Cassation. The secretariat is manned every day from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Contact with the Bar is made through the secretary of the cassation desk:

Telepnone : 02/508.67.46
Fax : 02/519.84.55
E-mail : [email protected]

Secretary of the cassation desk: Virginie Boonen

Using the tabs you can access

– the Basic information on the cassation desk (composition and coordinates, training, court fees, lexicon of terms specific to cassation proceedings, history),

– the Tableau van de cassatiebalie, i.e. the list with the coordinates of its members,

– a Vademecum (FAQ) containing answers to frequently asked questions about cassation,

– an Extranet providing access to a part of the website reserved for members of the Bar of the Court of Cassation, who were given a temporary password for that purpose.