Hayut releases new court procedures following text messages scandal
Supreme Court chief justice bans direct contact between judges and representatives of the law enforcement authorities; new procedures stem from the exposure of text messages exchanged between Judge Poznanski-Katz and prosecutor Shacham-Shavit about extending the remand of two suspects detained in the Bezeq affair.
The new procedures stem from the text messages affairs revealing a conversation between Judge Ronit Poznanski-Katz overseeing the Bezeq Affair (also known as Case 4000), and the attorney representing the Israel Securities Authority (ISA), Eran Shacham-Shavit.
The text conversation indicated Katz and Shacham coordinated extending the remand of two suspects detained in the Bezeq affair.
Hayut appointed an examination team, headed by Supreme Court Judge Yosef Elron, four month ago. The team submitted its recommendations two and a half months ago.
According to the new procedures released by Hayut, any contact between the judge overseeing a case and the investigation and prosecution representatives be restricted to the hearing held before the judge.
In addition, the judge will refrain from any informal contact with the investigation's representative.
Order issuing and detention requests will be submitted during standard working hours to the Court Secretariat. Requests will not be directly submitted to the judge or to his staff, in his chamber or in his court.
The Court Secretariat will draw the attention of those submitting their requests not as instructed by the new procedures.
Only court presidents and their deputies are authorized to decide upon detention or order issuing requests. The investigation material will be presented before the judge during a court hearing whether it is held with the presence of one or both of the parties.
If needed, the judge will adjourn the hearing and review the investigation material in the privacy of his or her chamber without the presence of either of the parties.
In extensive cases and according to a reasoned requests submitted to the court, it is authorized to allow the investigation unit's representative to submit the investigation materials beforehand through the Court Secretariat.
The judge or staff will not have direct contact with the investigation unit's representative in order to receive the investigation material.
Hayut determined that every request review would be documented, as well as any additional documents submitted during the hearing.
The court's decision regarding detention and issuing orders requests including rejection of the request will be given and documented in the Net Mishpat system, with the exclusion of unusual cases and with the authorization of the court's president or his deputy.
The new protocols will take effect on September 6.
