Ecuador’s Constitution of 2008 with Amendments through 2015

Judicial Independence

 
Article 168. The administration of justice, in compliance with its duties and in the exercise of its attributions, shall apply the following principles: 1. The bodies of the Judicial Branch shall benefit from both internal and external independence. Any breach of this principle shall entail administrative, civil, and criminal liability, in accordance with the law. 2. The Judicial Branch shall benefit from administrative, economic and financial autonomy.
 

Judicial Council or Parallel Institution

 
Article 179. The Judiciary Council shall be comprised of 5 delegates and their respective deputies (substitutes). Nominations of such delegates and their deputies shall be made by the President of the National Court of Justice, whose representative will be president of the Council, by the Attorney General of the State, by the Ombudsman, by the Executive Branch and by the National Assembly. The Council for Public Participation and Social Control shall approve such nominations, through a public scrutiny (transparent) process subject to citizen oversight and a right by the citizens to challenge such process. The Council for Public Participation and Social Control will determine procedure, terms and other elements of the process. The term of both regular members and deputies (substitutes) of the Judiciary Council shall be six years. The Judiciary Council shall report its annual activities before the National Assembly, who will have the power to monitor and judge the Judiciary Council members.