The Supreme Court is composed of its Chief Justice, its Deputy Chief Justice, chairmen of the Collegia, chairmen of the senates and other judges. The Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice are appointed by the President of the Republic. Judges decide cases in accordance with their own consciences and are bound solely by the law.

The Supreme Court as a rule sits in senates consisting of the senate chairman and two judges or in Grand senates of the Collegia.

Act No. 30/2000 Sb. (the Amendment of the Act on Courts and Judges) has constituted Grand senates of the Supreme Court from the 1st January 2001. The Grand senates are made up of at least nine judges from the same Collegium.

The Grand senate of the Collegium is authorized to decision-making in case of a senate of the Supreme Court (submitting this case) held a legal opinion that differs from a previous legal opinion of the Supreme Court.

The senates of three members are authorized to decision-making especially on extraordinary legal remedies, in criminal cases also on complaints for the violation of law and on the recognition and enforcement of rulings made by foreign courts on the territory of the Czech Republic, if it is provided by a special legal regulation or an international treaty.

Each senate is headed by a chairman who is responsible for organizing its work including the allocation of cases to each member of the senate.

The judges of the Supreme Court set up Collegia specialized in different fields of law. At present the Supreme Court has the Civil Law and Commercial Law Collegium and the Criminal Collegium. Each Collegium is presided over by a chairperson who directs and organizes its activities.

In ensuring the legitimacy and uniformity of courts decision-making, the Collegia analyse and evaluate final enforceable decisions of lower courts and generalize the knowledge gained, submit to the Chief Justice initiatives to the proposals to adopt standpoints on the courts decision-making in the matters of particular kind by the Plenum, on the proposal of the Chief Justice, chairman of Collegia or the Grand Senate adopt standpoints, select judgements and decide as to their publication in the Collection of Judicial Decisions and Standpoints. The Collegia hold their meetings in private.

The most significant body of the Supreme Court is Plenum, which consists of the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice, chairmen of the Collegia, chairmen of the senates and other judges of the Supreme Court. Plenum sittings are held in private. Plenum considers the Supreme Court s Standing Order, takes standpoints on the courts decision-making in the matters of particular kind in the interest of consistent decision-making of the courts in questions pertaining to all Collegia or disputable between the Collegia.

The Chief Justice carries out jurisdiction concerning the Supreme Court, fulfils administrative and executive roles, organizes the activities of other judges of the Supreme Court, in particular sets out the Work Schedule for the period of one year on consultation with the Council of judges, sets out the Standing Order of the Supreme Court on consideration by the Plenum, sets out the office and organizational regulations, presides over the Meetings of judges, may take part in sessions of any Collegium, presides over or sits in a senate according to the work schedule, convenes the sessions of the Plenum, on the basis of final court decisions proposes the adoption of a standpoint on the courts decision-making in the matters of particular kind, supervises the dignity of the proceedings, the observance of the judicial ethics and smoothness of the proceedings, deals with complaints about the delays in the proceedings, improper conduct or violation of the proceedings dignity by the judges and other employees of the Supreme Court or by the President of the High Court.

The Deputy Chief Justice shares the performance of the Court´s administrative and judicial work, especially in that he deputizes for the Chief Justice in his/her absence, carries out other duties which the Chief Justice has delegated to him, in particular on the authority of the Chief Justice manages the issuing of the Collection of Judicial Decisions and Standpoints.

The Council of judges is established by the Supreme Court as a consultative body of the Chief Justice. The Council is presided over by its chairman. Council of judges sittings are held in private. Members of the Council of judges are elected for five years at the meeting of all judges of the Supreme Court.

Since 2000 the assistants have been cooperating with the judges. These deal with preparation of draft decisions as well as assist the judges with the performance of their other duties.