La Lex Propria del Supremo Tribunale della Segnatura Apostolica ed. by P.A. Bonnet and C. Gullo (review)

More than forty years after the approval of the special norms for the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (25 March 1968), a new proper law for this highest tribunal was promulgated with the motu proprio Antiqua ordinatione of Pope Benedict XVI (21 June 2008). After the promulgation of the motu proprio, the archsodality of the Roman Curia organized a series of conferences dedicated to this new proper law of the Apostolic Signatura. These conferences are now published in one volume and highlight the various and often complex aspects of the work of this Supreme Tribunal. A number of interesting documents are added to this collection of fifteen contributions: an extensive bibliography on the subject-matter, and the successive proper laws since 1908.

In a first contribution, Bishop Francesco Salerno, former secretary of the Apostolic Signatura, highlights the identity and functions of the Apostolic Signatura and puts them in a historical context, starting with the very origins of the tribunal to the 1983 Code and Pastor Bonus. Gianpaolo Montini, promoter of justice of the Apostolic Signatura, makes in his contribution a few remarks about this proper law within the hierarchy of sources. After these two introductory contributions, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, former prefect of the Apostolic Signatura and currently vicar of the Pope for the Diocese of Rome, explains the reform of the special norms of 1968, ultimately leading to the new and current proper law.

The remaining contributions highlight the various aspects of the functioning and the work of the Apostolic Signatura. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke explains the role of various individuals (prefect, secretary, promoter of justice and substitutes, defender of the bond, referendarii) within the Apostolic Signatura, while Javier Canosa does the same for the collegial bodies foreseen by the proper law of the Apostolic Signatura. After these two "organizational" contributions, various authors present "functional" contributions, in the sense of contributions dealing with various competencies of the Apostolic Signatura: the competence to judge the legality and the merits according to the proper law (Salvatore Berlingò), the function(ing) of the Apostolic Signatura in relation to other dicasteries of the Roman Curia (Joaquín Llobell), vigilance over tribunals in general (Archbishop Frans Daneels, current secretary of the Apostolic Signatura), vigilance over the correct jurisprudence (Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, former secretary of the Apostolic Signatura), the praxis of vigilance over tribunals in the strict sense (Frans Daneels), the suspension of the impugned administrative act (Nikolaus Schöch, substitute promoter of justice of the Apostolic Signatura), the reparation of damages (Ilaria Zuanazzi), the competence to grant favors in judicial matters (Manuel Jesus Arroba Conde), disciplinary sanctions, hierarchical recourses and declarations of nullity of marriages (Eduardo Baura), and, finally, the decrees to obtain civil effects for canonical decisions (Paolo Moneta).

The volume gives an excellent overview of the work of the Apostolic Signatura, by not only highlighting all aspects covered in the new proper law, but also by putting the new law in a historical and ecclesial perspective. Although the book is written entirely in Italian, it is our hope and recommendation that canon lawyers will consult this publication often, so that they may not only better understand and appreciate the work of the Apostolic Signatura, but that they themselves can offer better canonical services.