Canon 1439§2 - Courts
of Second Instance

§1: If a single tribunal of first instance has been established for several dioceses in accord with the norm of canon 1423, the conference of bishops must establish a tribunal of second instance with the approval of the Apostolic See unless these dioceses are all suffragans of the same archdiocese.

§2: The conference of bishops can establish one or several tribunals of second instance with the approval of the Apostolic See even beyond the cases mentioned in §1.

Complementary Norm: In accord with canon 1439§2, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, with the approval of the Holy See, will be willing to establish one or more courts of second instance when a petition for such establishment is submitted.

Approved: Administrative Committee, September 1983

Promulgated: Memorandum to All Bishops, October 21, 1983