ABC de la Corte ENG v9

ABC of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights 2020 16 V. Periods of Sessions of the Inter-American Court HOW MANY PERIODS OF SESSIONS DOES THE COURT HOLD PER YEAR? Each year the Court holds as many Periods of Sessions as necessary to function efficiently. Usually, the Court holds eight Ordinary Sessions at its seat, San José, and two Special Sessions away from its seat. WHAT DOES THE COURT DO DURING SESSION PERIODS? During its Periods of Sessions, the Court carries out different activities, among which include hearings and resolutions about contentious cases, provisional measures, supervision of compliance with judgments, and the adoption of judgments. In a similar manner, the Court considers different procedures in the matters pending before it, and analyzes the different reports presented by the Inter-American Commission, representatives of the presumed victims or the presumed victims themselves, and the States involved in matters in which provisional measures may have been adopted or in cases in the phase of supervision of compliance with the judgment. In addition, the Court also considers matters of an administrative nature. The exercise of the functions of the Inter-American Court in its Periods of Sessions comprises of hearings, which are characterized by important and dynamic participation of the parties involved in the given matters and cases. This participation is crucial in terms of the effectiveness of measures and obligations ordered by the Court and it acts as a measure of the progress and duration of the trials. WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL SESSIONS OF THE COURT AWAY FROM ITS SEAT? Starting in 2005, the Inter-American Court has celebrated Periods of Special Sessions away from its seat in San José, Costa Rica. On such occasions, the Court has relocated to Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. This initiative of the Court allows it to efficiently fulfill two objectives: On one hand, it has allowed the Court to increase its jurisdictional activities, and on the other, it has allowed it to efficiently spread both its work in particular and that of the Inter-American System for the Protection of Human Rights in general. During 2019 the Court held tree Periods of Special Sessions in Uruguay, from 6 to 10 May; in Argentina, from 13 to 17 May; and in Colombia, from 26 August to 6 September of 2019.