TRIBUNAL

The Eparchial Tribunal is a department of eparchial administration established in Canon Law through which the eparchial bishop exercises his judicial authority.  Staff members include a Judicial Vicar, who must hold a license (J.C.L.) or doctorate (J.C.D.) in Canon Law, and who is responsible for the overall proper and competent functioning of the Tribunal and its personnel.  In addition to the Judicial Vicar, other officials and staff canonically associated with the Tribunal are typically one or more Judges, a Promoter of Justice, a Defender of the Bond, Advocates, Assessors, Procurators, Auditors, and Notaries.

This staff, working together on matters requiring application of Church law, provides a full range of ecclesiastical legal services for the bishop, his clergy, and the lay Faithful of the Eparchy.  Among others, these services include adjudication of marital annulment petitions, other contentious matters, requests for transfer of autonomous Church, permissions and dispensations in various instances, parish and eparchial administrative guidance, and consultation on any other matters which may necessitate compliance with canonical requirements.

PASTORAL HANDBOOK, 2010

The Pastoral Handbook, promulgated by His Grace the Most Rev. Gerald Dino, fifth Bishop of the Eparchy of Phoenix, is the particular law of the Eparchy of Phoenix and is binding on all Ruthenian Greek-Catholic Clergy and Faithful within its territory.