The major archiepiscopal tribunal is a collegiate tribunal, erected in accordance with c.1063 of CCEO on 1 September 1994, to exercise the ministry of justice within the territory of the Syro-Malabar Church. It serves especially as a tribunal of appeals from metropolitan tribunals, though it is competent also to adjudicate cases in the first instance according to the norm of law. It is subject not only to the vigilance of the supreme tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, Rome, which watches over the exercise of justice in the Catholic Church all over the world in the name of the Roman Pontiff, but also to the immediate vigilance of the general moderator of the administration of justice of the Syro-Malabar Church in accordance with c.1062 of CCEO and the norms of the statutes of the superior tribunal of the Syro-Malabar Church.

TRIBUNAL MINISTERS

The Ordinary Tribunal has a President, one Vice-President, and ten judges. There are four defenders of bond, two promoters of Justice and one notary. There are also advocates accredited to the Major Archiepiscopal Tribunal. All the judges and defenders of bond of the Major Archiepiscopal Ordinary Tribunal have the degree of doctorate in Canon Law. Most of the tribunal members have other ecclesiastical offices.

TRIBUNAL MINISTERS- 2019 July
I. PRESIDENT (Judicial Vicar) 1. Dr. Thomas Adoppillil
II. VICE-PRESIDENTS (Adj. Judicial Vicar)
2. Dr. Joseph Varanath
III.JUDGES:
3. Dr. Joseph Pathiyamoola MCBS
4. Dr. Varghese Palathingal
5. Dr. John Kochupurackal CST
6. Dr. Joseph Thoompunkal
7. Dr. Berchmans Kodackal
8. Dr. James Thalachelloor
9. Dr. Vincent Chittilappilly
10. Dr. Mathew Changankary
11. Dr. Thomas Thengumpally
12. Dr. Joseph Mukaleparambil
IV. DEFENDERS OF BOND
1. Dr. Mani Kuthodiputhenpurayil CST
2. Dr. Joseph Velinjalil
3. Dr. John Chennakuzhy
4. Dr. Sebastian Muttamthottil MCBS

The Major Archiepiscopal Tribunal was erected on September 1, 1994 as per the prescription of CCEO canon 1063§1. This tribunal is the appellate tribunal in second and further grades, with judges serving in rotation, for cases already decided in the lower tribunals of the Syro-Malabar Church within its proper territory. It is governed by the statutes.

This tribunal is also competent to judge in first and further grades, with judges serving in rotation, the cases:

1. of exarchs and delegates of the patriarch who are not bishops
2. of physical or juridic persons immediately subject to the patriarch
3. of institutes of consecrated life of pontifical right
4. of superiors of institutes of consecrated life of pontifical right who do not have a superior within the same institute who possesses judicial power;
5. reserved to this tribunal by particular law

TRIBUNAL ACTIVITIES

The great majority of the cases dealt with by the Ordinary Tribunal are marriage nullity cases. From September 1, 1994 till December 31, 2013 this tribunal handled marriage 2087 nullity cases.

Major topics of the recent issue of the periodical are: An Ecclesiology of Communion from the Eastern and Ecumenical Perspectives, Prospects for the New Evangelization of Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church, Eparchial Bishop/Local Hierarch and the Religious, Marriages of Unbaptized Persons: Misapprehensions and the Right approach of the Church, Sharing Spiritual Activities and Resources between the Catholic Church and the Non-Catholic Churches, The Office of the Protosyncellus, Canonical Basis of Statutes and Constitutions according to CCEO and CIC, and Particular Law of the Syro-Malabar Church: An Evaluation of the Present Stage.

Title : Eastern Legal Thought Volume : 1 Language : English Price : 200

Title : Eastern Legal Thought Volume : 2 Language : English Price : 200

REPORT OF THE ORDINARY TRIBUNAL IN THE YEAR 2013

Activity Of The Tribunal In Second Instance

CAUSES OF MATRIMONIAL NULLITY HANDLED AFTER AN ORDINARY PROCESS IN FIRST INSTANCE

Activity Of The Tribunal In Third & Subsequent Instances

CAUSES OF MATRIMONIAL NULLITY HANDLED AFTER A PROCESS IN SECOND INSTANCE

5.Activities of the Lower Tribunals in the Year 2018

There are seventeen eparchies in four metropolitan provinces and one archeparchy within the proper territory of the Syro Malabar Church. All the four metropolitan provinces have metropolitan tribunals and they function as the tribunals of appeal in the second instance as per c. 1064§1. The metropolitan tribunal of Kottayam judges cases only of the Archeparchy of the metropolitan of Kottayam. The eparchies of Belthangady, Thuckaly and Bhadravathi have single judge tribunals. The cases of the eparchy of Ramanathapuram are handled by the eparchial tribunal of Palakkad.

The activities of the eparchial and metropolitan tribunals during the year 2018 are briefly given in the following tables:   : 

Tribunal records show that there has been a definite hike in the number of cases in most of the tribunals. This hike may be due to the increased general awareness among the people of the new provisions in the motu proprio which make the nullity procedure of marriage cases more simple, easy and quick.