Advisory Jurisdiction
Explanation
The State Council in Lebanon enjoys a dual role. It exercises the consultative function (la fonction consultative) alongside its judicial function. This function consists of giving an opinion on draft legal texts before they are issued.
Consultation is divided into two types. The first type is mandatory consultation (la consultation obligatoire). Article 57 requires consulting the Council on draft legislative decrees (projets de décrets législatifs), draft regulatory texts (projets de textes réglementaires), and in all matters where laws and regulations mandate its consultation.
The second type is optional consultation (la consultation facultative). The Council may be consulted on draft international treaties (projets de traités internationaux) and draft circulars (projets de circulaires). The Council of Ministers may also decide to consult it on any important matter.
Article 58 determines the mechanism of consultative work. The competent minister (le ministre compétent) refers the drafts and matters to the State Council. After the referral, the Council's body deliberates based on a report prepared by one of its members.
The law permits administrations to request assistance in drafting texts. Article 59 stipulates the right of the Minister of Justice to request the President of the State Council to appoint one of the Council's members to assist administrations in preparing the aforementioned draft texts.
Alongside this consultative role, the Council exercises its judicial function (la fonction juridictionnelle). Article 60 confirms that administrative courts are the ordinary courts for administrative cases, while the State Council constitutes the appellate authority for all their judgments, and the appellate or cassation authority (cour de cassation) or the court of first and last instance in other cases.
Official legal articles
replace · 2000-06-29: Open the official text
Think deeper
How does the legal mechanism for preparing draft legislative decrees differ between the mandatory consultation of the State Council, and requesting assistance in drafting?
Flashcards
What are the texts for which consulting the State Council is mandatory?
Draft legislative decrees, draft regulatory texts, and all matters where laws and regulations stipulate that it must be consulted.
What are the texts for which consulting the State Council is optional?
Draft international treaties, draft circulars, and any important matter on which the Council of Ministers decides to consult it.
Who is the competent authority to refer consultative drafts to the State Council?
The competent minister.
How are deliberations conducted within the body of the State Council regarding matters referred to it?
The body deliberates based on a report by one of its members.
Who has the right to request the appointment of a State Council member to assist administrations in preparing drafts?
The Minister of Justice, who requests this from the President of the State Council.
What is the appellate authority for all judgments issued by the administrative courts?
The State Council.
Practice questions
For which of the following texts is consulting the State Council considered mandatory?
The law mandates consulting the State Council on draft legislative decrees (Article 57).
Who refers draft regulatory texts to the State Council for its consultation?
The competent minister refers to the State Council the drafts and matters requiring its consultation (Article 58).
If a public administration wants assistance in preparing a draft legislative decree, what is the legal mechanism for that?
The law allows the Minister of Justice to request the State Council President to appoint a member to assist administrations (Article 59).
Which of the following matters is subject to the optional consultation of the State Council?
The law permits consulting the State Council on draft international treaties, making it an optional consultation (Article 57).
What is the role of the State Council regarding judgments issued by administrative courts?
The State Council is considered the appellate authority for all judgments issued by administrative courts (Article 60).
Based on what does the body of the State Council deliberate on matters referred to it?
The body of the State Council deliberates on referred matters based on a report by one of its members (Article 58).
Case problems
The Minister of Public Health prepared a draft regulatory text and a draft circular related to the classification of hospitals. The Minister decided to issue the two texts directly without referring them to the State Council, considering that consultation delays the work. Is the Minister's action legal?
Model answer
The Minister's action is partially illegal.
The law mandates consulting the State Council on draft regulatory texts (Article 57).
Therefore, consultation here is mandatory, and issuing the text without consultation violates the law.
As for the draft circular, the law allows consulting the Council optionally (Article 57).
Therefore, the Minister has the right to issue the circular without consulting the Council.
The competent minister should have referred the draft regulatory text to the Council (Article 58).
Self-grading rubric
The Ministry of Finance faced difficulty in preparing a complex draft legislative decree. The Minister of Finance directly contacted a judge of the State Council and asked him to assist the Ministry in preparing the draft. Is this mechanism legally correct?
Model answer
No, this mechanism is not legally correct.
The law specifies a mechanism for assisting administrations in preparing draft legislative decrees (Article 59).
The law requires the Minister of Justice, not the Minister of Finance, to request the assistance.
The request must also be addressed to the President of the State Council to appoint a member.
It is not permissible to contact the judge directly for this purpose.
Self-grading rubric
A judgment was issued by an administrative court in an ordinary administrative case. One of the litigants wished to appeal this judgment, but did not know the competent authority to submit the appeal. What is the competent judicial authority to hear this appeal?
Model answer
The competent authority to hear the appeal is the State Council.
Administrative courts are considered the ordinary courts for administrative cases (Article 60).
The State Council is the appellate authority for all judgments issued by administrative courts (Article 60).