Judiciary, Commemorative Book in Honor of Professor Paulino Varas Alfonso

Garcia Barzelatto, Ana María (ed.). Chilean Association of Constitutional Law. Santiago: Ediciones Jurídicas de Chile, December 2015, 367 pp.

Abstract

This review examines the commemorative volume dedicated to Professor Paulino Varas Alfonso, a collective work edited by Ana María García Barzelatto, which brings together twenty contributions aimed at addressing various issues related to the judiciary from a constitutional perspective. The text highlights the honoree’s academic career and positions the volume as a contribution to the study of the judiciary, particularly with regard to its organization and judicial function.

The review focuses its analysis on those monographs that directly address core issues of the judiciary, such as judicial independence, judicial governance, the appointment of judges, and due process guarantees. It also examines discussions regarding the admissibility of constitutional actions against judicial decisions and the institutional effects of certain sanctions within the democratic system.

The analysis incorporates references to comparative law and to national and international case law, allowing for a critical examination of existing models of judicial organization and their tensions with constitutional principles. Taken as a whole, the work is presented as a significant contribution to the debate on the institutional design of the Judiciary and the protection of fundamental rights.