Duties and Responsibilities of the SGA Judicial Council

ARTICLE IV- Judicial Branch

Section 1- The Judicial Powers of the Student Body and the SGA shall be invested in the Student Judiciary through one prominent body, the Judicial Council, and such lesser councils as may from time to time be ordained. The Student Judiciary shall promote fairness, equality, and justice to all members of the student body. The Judicial Council shall be subject to this constitution and to the Code of Ethics.

Section 2- The Judicial Council shall be composed of eleven members appointed by the president of the SGA in conjunction with the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and with the advice and consent of two thirds (2/3) of the voting senate.

a. The Judicial Council will be presided over by a chief justice who shall yearly be elected from and by the eleven members of the Council. The chief justice, in conjunction with the Vice President for Student Affairs, shall have the power to set the time and place of meetings of all lesser councils as the need arises. Any Judicial member shall have the power to administer the oath of office, as written in the SGA Bylaws, to the members of the legislative and executive Branches as well as to all members of the Student Judicial Council, and such lesser councils as may from time to time be ordained.

b. The Judicial Council shall select one of its eleven members to serve as Clerk. The Clerk shall maintain a record of all proceedings.

c. The specific rules, procedures, and duties of the Student Judiciary shall be found in the Code of Ethics which is subject to approval by the senate as proscribed in this constitution. The Judicial Council shall be charged with the establishment of these rules, procedures, and duties, and shall yearly review the Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics shall be maintained by the secretary of the SGA.

d. All members of the Student Judiciary shall be an enrolled student in good standing at the university at the time of appointment to the Branch and must maintain that standing throughout the entire tenure of service. All members of the Judicial Council shall serve on the Council until such time as the member decides to resign, fails to maintain good standing at the university, or is removed from service by impeachment. No member shall serve as a member of the executive or legislative Branches, or be manager or managing editor of any campus communications funded by the SGA.

Section 3- The Judicial Council shall have jurisdiction and powers as described by the chief disciplinary officer of the university.

a. The constitutional and empowered jurisdiction shall include the following:

1. Violations of all rules, regulations, and policies governing individual student conduct and student organizations;

2. All sections of the executive Branch of the SGA;

3. Sole power of interpretation of the constitution, statues, and Bylaws of the SGA;

4. All conflict which arises between officially registered student organizations;

5. Offenses against this constitution.

b. The Judicial Council, in conjunction with the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, may, at its discretion, review any case involving members of the SGA.

c. The Judicial Council shall have the right to summon any member of the student body, faculty, or administration of Valdosta State University to testify, either in behalf of or against, the accused at the request of the parties involved, before any council of the Judiciary.

d. The Judicial Council, in conjunction with the Office of the vice president for Student Affairs shall have the power to assign any and all cases to lesser councils. The powers of these lesser councils shall be set by the approval of three-fourths (3/4) vote of the voting senate and shall be contained in the bylaws of the Judiciary.

Section 4- A complete record of all actions on hearing thereof shall be made by the respective Clerks of the Council and/or other officials, designated by the Council. This record shall be made available to the student involved upon written request by the student. No record shall be made for Residence or Traffic Court hearings unless requested by the student involved before the hearing.

Section 5- The right to appeal any verdict by the Judiciary Committee shall not be denied to any student or student organization by this constitution. The Student Judiciary shall be the student body’s highest appellate authority over all student organizations registered by the SGA.

Section 6- The right of counsel, either lay or professional, shall not be denied to any student or student organization by this constitution.

Section 7- Under no circumstance will a student who is tried by the Judiciary be under the threat of double jeopardy when cleared of charges by the Judiciary Council. Any charges brought up against a student or student organization to the Judiciary by any other one group shall not be held against the student or student organization that has already been found innocent of those charges. Any student or student organization that has been found guilty of any charges shall not be denied the right to appeal that verdict. The ruling of the Judicial Council is the final authority on this constitution. All other rulings will be subject to the appeals process as found in the Valdosta State University Student Handbook.