Constitutional Court of Portugal

11 CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF PORTUGAL How the Court works The Constitutional Court can sit in plenary session (i.e. with all the Justices present) or in chambers . There are three (non-specialised) such chambers, each made up of the President or the Vice-President and four more Justices. The Court’s sessions are not public , except when it announces its decisions and in cases in which the Court has to decide whether to abolish political parties, coalitions, or organisations that display a fascist ideology. The Court’s decisions are taken bymajority vote. However, individual Justices can attach dissenting opinions to them. Opinions When one or more Justices disagree with a majority decision, or when they agree with one, but on grounds other than those set out in the ruling, they can respectively attach a dissenting or a concurring opinion to the text of the decision, setting out and justifying their position. Session chamber, where the Court meets in plenary or in chamber to discuss cases and take decisions