Automated Summary
Key Facts
The interlocutory order (2026) addresses a civil appeal against the 2021 Corte d'Appello di Messina judgment (n. 541/2021) which dismissed Benedetto Baldanza's claims against multiple defendants, including Nicolò Susio and Domenico Ferrara. The case involves a constitutional challenge to the use of an honorary judge in a single-instance civil court proceeding, following the Constitutional Court's 2021 ruling (n. 41/2021) declaring such provisions temporarily unconstitutional. The court remanded the case for further hearing to clarify whether the 2021 judgment was a single-instance decision or an appeal, impacting the validity of the proceedings.
Issues
- The court is considering the nullity of the decision due to violation of article 62, second comma, of law 98/2013, which prohibits the presence of an honorary judge in the single-degree court of appeal.
- The court examines the illegitimacy of the law (d.l. 69/2013 converted into law 98/2013) that allows auxiliary judges to be part of the appellate courts' panels. The Constitutional Court declared this norm unconstitutional, but a temporary tolerance is in place until October 31, 2025.
Holdings
The court remits the case to public hearing because the issue regarding the composition of the court (specifically the presence of an honorary judge in a civil case) requires further clarification. The court determines that the previous ruling by the Corte d'Appello Civile in 2021 must be reassessed to establish whether it constitutes a single-grade judgment or an appeal, as this affects the constitutional validity of the court's composition.
Remedies
Case Remitted to Public Hearing
Legal Principles
The legal principle at issue involves the composition of the court, specifically the use of honorary judges in single-grade appellate courts. The court examined whether the presence of an honorary judge in the Corte d'Appello civile of Messina violated constitutional norms. The Constitutional Court's 2021 ruling (sentenza n. 41/2021) declared such provisions unconstitutional, allowing a temporary tolerance until October 31, 2025. The court determined that the 2021 case's context required clarification on whether the proceedings were of a single grade or an appeal, leading to the remand for public hearing.
Precedent Name
- Consulta sentenza n. 41/2021
- Cass. pen. 38854/2017
Cited Statute
Legge 98/2013 di conversione del Decreto-Legge 69/2013
Judge Name
Graziosi Chiara
Passage Text
- Rimette la causa in pubblica udienza.
- Il primo motivo denuncia nullità per violazione di norme sulla composizione del giudice e sulla capacità del giudice.
- Con la sentenza n. 41/2021 la Consulta ha dichiarato la illegittimità costituzionale delle norme del d.l. 69/2013... fino al 31 ottobre 2025, tuttavia, ha ravvisato 'temporanea tollerabilità costituzionale'.