Constitutional Court of Portugal

5 The Presidents of the Constitutional Court To date, the Constitutional Court has had 6 Presidents: – Justice Armando Marques Guedes (1983-1989) – Justice José Manuel Cardoso da Costa (1989-2003) – Justice Luís Nunes de Almeida (2003-2004) – Justice Artur Maurício (2004-2007) – Justice Rui Moura Ramos (2007-2012) – Justice Joaquim de Sousa Ribeiro (2012-present day) Each Justice serves for a 9-year, non-renewable term of office. Holding the office of Constitutional Court Justice is incompatible with both the exercise of functions at other entities that exercise sovereignty or autonomous regional or local authority organs, and the performance of any other public or private office or function. The only exception is teaching or scientific research functions in the field of Law, and these cannot be paid. Nor can Justices exercise any function in party political organs or engage in public party political activities. Constitutional Court Justices are installed by the President of the Republic. During the act of taking office, they take the following oath: «I swear by my honour to fulfil the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and to faithfully perform the functions in which I am invested». The 13 Justices elect the Court’s President and Vice-President by secret ballot from among their own number. The President and Vice-President exercise these functions for a period equal to half a Justice’s term of office – i.e. four and a half years. CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF PORTUGAL