The Service of the Apostolic Signatura in the Church and the Ministry of Justice of the Diocesan Bishop

The author addresses the service of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura to the life of the Church from the perspective of the responsibility of the Diocesan Bishop for the correct administration of justice, in general, and, in more detail, his responsibility for the local ecclesiastical tribunal, as a privileged locus of his judicial ministry. The major part of the work of the Apostolic Signatura, apart from its direct service to the Roman Curia, is service to Diocesan Bishops in fulfilling their fundamental ministry of justice in the particular Churches. The contribution is limited to the treatment of the Diocesan Bishop and his judicial activity, and does not include the important service to Diocesan Bishops in what pertains to individual administrative acts. The contribution is further limited to the legislation of the Latin Church.