Articles of Association
Name and purpose
Section 1
The Association’s name is the Association of DanishJudges.
Section 2
The purpose of the Association is to maintain the independence of the judiciary, uphold legal certainty, manage the interests of judges and promote collegial unity.
Subsection 2. The Association holds at least one annual ordinary member meeting.
Members
Section 3
Anyone who is appointed as judge by the ordinary courts can be a member of the Association. According to the Board’s resolution, Danish judges appointed to international tribunals can be members.
Subsection 2. Judges who retire remain members, but without the right to vote.
Subsection 3. Membership enrolment and resignation of membership is to be in writing to the Treasurer.
Section 4
Members pay a subscription that is determined at the general meeting
Subsection 2. New members of the Association pay the full subscription on the first payment.
Subsection 3. Members, who are retired at the time of payment, do not pay a subscription.
Section 5
A member who has violated the Association’s Articles of Association, or in some disloyal way goes against the Association’s purpose, can be expelled from the Association if at least eight members of the Board votes in favour of it.
Area division
Section 6
Judges in District Courts, apart from the Presidents and judges of the Danish Maritime and Commercial Court with the exception of the President and Vice Presidents, cf. Section 6, Subsection 5, are included in the following areas:
Area 1 covers the City Court of Copenhagen and the judges of the Danish Maritime and Commercial Court.
Area 2 covers the courts in Frederiksberg and Bornholm, the courts in Glostrup, Lyngby, Hillerød and Helsingør, as well as the courts on the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Area 3 covers the courts in Roskilde, Holbæk, Næstved and Nykøbing Falster.
Area 4 covers the courts in Esbjerg, Odense, Svendborg and Sønderborg.
Area 5 covers the courts in Aarhus, Randers, Horsens and Kolding.
Area 6 covers the courts in Herning, Holstebro, Viborg, Aalborg and Hjørring.
Subsection 2. Every year, before 1 June, a meeting is held in each of the areas for those members serving in the area. The area’s representative on the Board is invited to the meeting with at least four week’s notice. Details of the Board’s work are given at the meeting.
Subsection 3. The rules on voting in Section 10, Subsections 2 and 3 shall also apply to area meetings.
Subsection 4. The area’s representative on the Board is elected for the coming year at the meeting. The representative shall be elected among the members serving in the area, unless there is a majority in favour of electing a representative serving outside the area. If none of the proposed representatives get more than half of the votes cast, a new vote shall be taken between the two candidates who had the most votes. Then whoever has the most number of votes in the second vote is elected. Proposals for representatives must be sent to the members no later than one week before the meeting. In the case of a vacancy during the year, the area elects a new representative.
Subsection 5. The Supreme Court, the Western High Court, the Eastern High Court in association with the President and Vice Presidents in the Danish Maritime and Commercial Court, as well as the Presidents of the district courts in association with the President of the Land Registration Court, each elect a representative to the Board. The election takes place as referred to in Section 4, unless the courts determine a different approach.
General Meeting
Section 7
The General Meeting has the highest authority of the Association’s affairs.
Section 8
The ordinary general meeting is held each year after the end of the financial year according to the Board’s further determination, usually in connection with a general membership meeting, cf. Section 2, Subsection 2. Prior to the general meeting, a written report is sent out about the Association’s activities during the past year. The report can be sent electronically.
Subsection 2. The members shall be invited to the general meeting by a letter from the Board, together with an indication of the agenda. The invitation can be sent electronically.
Subsection 3. There must be at least four week’s notice for an ordinary general meeting and at least one week for an extraordinary general meeting.
Subsection 4. The agenda for an ordinary general meeting shall contain at least the following points:
1. Election of meeting Chairman.
2. The Chairman’s report.
3. The Treasurer shall submit audited accounts.
4. Determining the subscription.
5. Election of the Chairman, cf. Section 11, Subsection 2.
6. Composition of the rest of the Board, cf. Section 6, Subsections 4 and 5.
7. Choice of accountant and alternate accountant, cf. Section 16, Subsection 2.
8. Other business.
Subsection 5. In order for proposals from members, including proposals for chairman and accountant, to be dealt with at the ordinary general meeting, they must be submitted in writing to the Chairman no later than two weeks before the general meeting. If such proposals are made, the Board will send out a new or supplementary agenda no later than one week before the general meeting. Proposals from members and any new or supplementary agenda can be sent electronically.
Section 9
An extraordinary general meeting can be convened by the Board and shall be held within one month, when at least 50 voting members request it of the Chairman in writing and indicate the purpose of the general meeting.
Section 10
Decisions at the general meeting shall be taken by a simple majority vote of those present entitled to vote. For the adoption of amendments to the Articles of Association, at least half of the voting members must vote in favour.
Subsection 2. One voting member can vote in accordance with a written power of attorney from another voting member. No member can, however, be a power of attorney for more than five absent members.
Subsection 3. A vote shall be made in writing, if it is insisted upon by at least ten voting members. In an election between several candidates, there must, however, always be a written vote.
The Board
Section 11
The Board shall be elected for a term of one year and consists of 1 chairman and 10 other members. 4 members are elected as stated in Section 6, Subsection 5, by the Supreme Court, the Western High Court, the Eastern High Court in association with the President and Vice Presidents of the Danish Maritime and Commercial Court, as well as the Presidents of courts in association with the President of the Land Registration Court. 6 members are elected as stated in Section 6, Subsection 4, by the individual areas.
Subsection 2. The Chairman is elected separately at the general meeting. The vote takes place according to the rules in Section 6, Subsection 4. If the Chairman-elect is already a member of the Board, the judges elect, who the member represents, see Section 6, Subsections 4 and 5, a new representative.
Section 12
The Board elects its own Deputy Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary.
Subsection 2. The Board is a quorum only when at least six members of the Board are present. In a tied vote, the chairman has the casting vote.
Subsection 3. The meetings of the Board and general meetings are recorded in the Association’s minutes of proceedings.
Section 13
The cost of the Association’s work is borne by the Association.
Section 14
The Board represents the Association to the outside world and can make statements on behalf of the Association.
Subsection 2. Economic affairs are undertaken jointly by the Chairman and Treasurer.
Public managers in DJØF
Section 15
The Association’s active members, who are members of DJØF, constitute a section of Public managers in DJØF.
Accounts
Section 16
The Association’s financial year is 1 August-31 July.
Subsection 2. The annual accounts shall be audited by an accountant, who, together with an alternate accountant shall be elected at the general meeting from among the voting members by ordinary majority for a one year term.
Entry Into Force
Section 17
The Articles of Association shall enter into force together with Law No. 538 of 8 June 2006, amending the Danish Administration of Justice Act and various other laws (Police and judicial reform).
(Adopted in Nyborg on 6 October 2006. Addendum to Section 8 adopted in Kolding on 3 October 2008. Amendments to Sections 1, 2, 4 and 15 adopted in Nyborg on 5 October 2012).