Courts Law [Consolidated Version], 5744-1984
חוק בתי המשפט [נוסח משולב], תשמ"ד-1984
Published: 1984-08-31Consolidated Hebrew text as of 2026-09-01 · Last amended 2026-07-29✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-28
Premium
Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More
This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.
Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.
The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.
This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.
Section C: Magistrates' Courts
Place of sitting and area of jurisdiction [B/21]§
43.
(a)The Minister of Justice may, by Order, establish Magistrates' Courts and determine their places of sitting and areas of jurisdiction.
(b)Where a new Magistrate's Court has been established under the provisions of subsection (a) (in this section – the new court), the following provisions shall apply:
(1)the Minister of Justice may, after consultation with the President of the Supreme Court, determine transitional provisions under which categories of matters that he designates shall not be heard in the new court;
(2)
(a)the Administrator of Courts may direct that in categories of proceedings that he designates from among the matters within the jurisdiction of the new court, proceedings that have been filed in the court in which they would have been heard but for the establishment of the new court and in which the hearing has not yet commenced shall be transferred to the new court and heard therein;
(b)notice of proceedings transferred under sub-paragraph (a) shall be given to the parties to the proceeding, and shall also be published at the registries of the relevant courts and on the website of the Courts Administration; notice of the categories of proceedings transferred shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette).
(c)The validity of provisions under subsection (b) shall be for the period determined by the Minister of Justice, which shall not exceed three years from the date of establishment of the new court; jurisdiction conferred on a court to hear a proceeding by virtue of the said provisions shall remain in force until the conclusion of the proceeding; for this purpose, "date of establishment of the new court" means the date of establishment as determined by the Minister of Justice in the Order made under subsection (a).
(d)Nothing in the provisions under subsection (b) shall derogate from the provisions of sections 49 or 78.
Place of sitting of the court [B/22]§
44.
(a)A Magistrate's Court shall sit at its place of sitting.
(b)A Magistrate's Court may sit to hear a specific matter, in whole or in part, at a place other than its place of sitting, if it sees fit to do so in the interests of justice or for the efficiency of the hearing, provided that it shall not sit at a place outside its area of jurisdiction except with the consent of the President of the District Court within whose area of jurisdiction the other place is situated.
Judges [B/23]§
45.
(a)A Magistrate's Court shall have such number of judges as the Minister of Justice has determined by notice in Reshumot (Official Gazette).
(b)In each area of jurisdiction there shall be one President of the Magistrate's Court, and there may be one or more Vice-Presidents; however, one President may serve as President in several areas of jurisdiction.
Judge sitting outside the place of his appointment [B/24]§
46.
The appointment of a judge to one Magistrate's Court does not prevent him from sitting in another Magistrate's Court; however, a judge shall not sit in another Magistrate's Court except with the consent of the Presidents of the relevant Magistrates' Courts.
Composition [B/25]§
47.
A Magistrate's Court shall hear matters before a single judge; however, the President of the Magistrate's Court may, at the request of the judge sitting to hear the matter, at the request of a party and after affording the parties an opportunity to present their arguments on the matter, or on his own initiative, direct that a specific matter be heard before three judges; the President of the Magistrate's Court shall determine the judges of whom the court shall be composed.
Determination of panels and dates [B/26]§
48.
(a)The judge who is to hear a specific matter shall be determined by the President of the Magistrate's Court or his deputy, and in the absence of such determination – according to a roster determined from time to time by the President of the court.
(b)The date on which the Magistrate's Court is to commence hearing a specific matter shall be determined by the judge or judges who are to hear it, in accordance with rules determined by the President of the court, and if the panel to hear it has not yet been determined – by the President of the court or his deputy.
Transfer of a matter from one Magistrate's Court to another [B/26a]§
49.
(a)The President of the Magistrate's Court may direct that a specific proceeding that has been or is to be brought before a Magistrate's Court at a particular place and in which the hearing has not yet commenced, or that a matter in which a decision of disqualification of a judge has been made, whether or not the hearing has commenced, shall be heard in another court situated in the area of jurisdiction in which he serves as President; and he may also give such a direction in respect of a specific category of civil proceedings and proceedings for traffic offences.
(b)
(1)A party who considers himself aggrieved by a decision of the President of the Magistrate's Court as referred to in subsection (a) may request him to reconsider the decision;
(2)in deciding on a request for reconsideration under paragraph (1), the President of the Magistrate's Court shall take into account the extent of the expected harm to the parties as a result of the transfer, the distance between the court from which the proceeding was transferred and the court to which it was transferred, and the assurance of the parties' access to the court;
(3)a decision as referred to in paragraph (2) may be appealed before the President of a District Court.
(c)The court to which a matter has been transferred as aforesaid shall not transfer it further.
(d)In this section –
"commencement of hearing" – including a pre-trial;
"proceedings for traffic offences" – proceedings that a traffic judge has jurisdiction to hear under any law, which are not being handled by a prosecutor under the provisions of section 60 of the Criminal Procedure Law [Consolidated Version], 5742-1982.
Presiding Judge [B/27]§
50.
(a)The presiding judge in a Magistrate's Court sitting as a panel of three shall be the one sitting in judgment who is first among the following:
(1)a President of a Magistrate's Court;
(2)a Deputy President of a Magistrate's Court, and if several Deputy Presidents are sitting in judgment — the most senior among them, and among those of equal seniority — the oldest among them;
(3)a former President of a Magistrate's Court, and if several former Presidents are sitting in judgment — the most senior among them, and among those of equal seniority — the oldest among them;
(4)a former Deputy President of a Magistrate's Court, and if several former Deputy Presidents are sitting in judgment — the most senior among them, and among those of equal seniority — the oldest among them;
(5)the most senior of the judges, and among those of equal seniority — the oldest among them.
(b)For the purposes of this Section, seniority shall be determined according to the date of the judge's appointment to the Magistrate's Court.
(c)Notwithstanding subsection (a), an associate judge shall not serve as presiding judge, unless the President of the Court has determined otherwise in respect of a particular panel.
Jurisdiction [B/28]§
51.
(a)A Magistrate's Court shall hear the following:
(1)
(a)offences punishable by fine only or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding seven years; except offences that are an economic matter under section 42b(a)(8), except offences listed in Part 1 of the Second Schedule punishable by imprisonment for a period of five years or more, if the District Attorney has decided to prosecute a person for them before a District Court, except an offence under the Economic Competition Law, 5748-1988, except an offence under Chapter II or under section 55 of the Promotion of Competition in the Food and Pharma Sectors Law, 5774-2014, and except an offence under section 3a of the Fight Against Criminal Organisations Law, 5763-2003;
(b)offences listed in Part 2 of the Second Schedule, punishable by imprisonment for a period exceeding seven years, and offences that are an economic matter under section 42b(a)(8), if the State Attorney or a District Attorney has decided to prosecute a person for them before a Magistrate's Court, provided that a sentence of imprisonment for a period exceeding seven years shall not be imposed;
(2)civil claims – except claims relating to real property – where the amount of the claim or the value of the subject matter does not exceed NIS 2,500,000 on the date of filing of the action, even if the amount or value subsequently increased due to indexation, linkage, interest, court costs and advocates' fees;
(3)claims concerning possession or use of real property or concerning the partition thereof or the partition of use thereof, including ancillary claims relating thereto concerning possession or use of movable property, whatever the value of the subject matter of the claim; however, a Magistrate's Court shall not hear claims concerning long-term leases and other claims relating to real property;
(3a)(Repealed)
(4)a counterclaim to a civil claim where they share the same subject matter or arise from the same circumstances, whatever the value of the subject matter of the counterclaim; if the counterclaim was an economic matter as defined in section 42b, the court may transfer the claims to the court that would have had jurisdiction to hear the counterclaim if it considered that the portion of the economic matter in the claims is significant;
(5)family matters as defined in the Family Court Law, 5755-1995, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3).
(a1)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a)(2) and (3), a Magistrate's Court shall not hear an economic matter as defined in section 42b, except a counterclaim under the provisions of subsection (a)(4) or if it has been transferred to it from a District Court under the provisions of section 42b(a)(6) or (7); however, a Magistrate's Court sitting as a small claims court has jurisdiction to hear an economic matter as defined in section 42b(a)(1)(c), if that matter is within its jurisdiction under the provisions of this Law.
(b)The Minister of Justice, after consultation with the President of the Supreme Court and with the approval of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset, may by Order increase the amount specified in subsection (a)(2); such an Order may provide, for all courts or for a specific court, that a matter which the increase in jurisdiction has added to the Magistrate's Court's jurisdiction and which was filed before the commencement of the Order in a District Court shall be heard in the Magistrate's Court, provided that the hearing of evidence has not yet commenced.
(c)Family matters as listed in paragraph (5) of subsection (a) shall be heard by a court empowered as referred to in the Family Court Law, 5755-1995.
Appeal [B/29]§
52.
(a)A judgment of a Magistrate's Court may be appealed before a District Court.
(b)Another decision of a Magistrate's Court in a civil matter may be appealed before a District Court, if leave to do so has been granted by a judge of the District Court; leave as referred to in this subsection in respect of another decision shall be granted if the court is satisfied that if the appeal on the decision is heard in the framework of the appeal on the judgment and not immediately, this would materially affect the rights of the parties, or that a party to the proceeding is likely to suffer substantial harm, or that an unnecessary proceeding is likely to be conducted or conducted in an erroneous manner.
(c)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b), leave to appeal shall not be granted –
(1)in respect of categories of decisions that the Minister of Justice has determined by Order with the approval of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset; where a category of decision has been determined in such an Order, the Order shall apply to a decision made after its commencement;
(2)in respect of a decision of a Magistrate's Court on the question of whether a specific matter is an economic matter as defined in section 42b or not; however, leave to appeal shall be granted in respect of a decision of the court that a specific matter is not an economic matter if the consequence of the decision is that the competent court is a Magistrate's Court.
(d)Nothing in subsection (c) shall derogate from the right of a party under law to appeal a decision as referred to in that subsection in the framework of an appeal on the judgment.
Jurisdiction of judges [B/29a]§
53.
Judicial jurisdiction specifically vested by law other than this Law in the President of a Magistrate's Court is vested in every judge of that court; other jurisdiction specifically vested in the President of a Magistrate's Court may be delegated by him, in whole or in part, to a Vice-President.
Need to cite this law in a foreign court?
Eli Shimony Israeli Attorneys-at-Law provides certified Expert Legal Opinions on Israeli law within 24–48 hours, accepted by courts worldwide.
Contact Us →Section D: Local Affairs Courts
Place of Session and Jurisdiction [II/29b]§
54.
(a)The Minister of Justice may, by Order, after consulting the relevant local authority, establish a Local Affairs Court and determine its place of session and its jurisdiction, and may, by Order as aforesaid, authorise a Magistrate's Court to sit as a Local Affairs Court.
(b)The jurisdiction of a Local Affairs Court may differ from the jurisdiction of the Magistrate's Court of the same area and may include the areas of several local authorities; where the jurisdiction of a Local Affairs Court includes territories that fall within the jurisdiction of more than one Magistrate's Court, it shall be determined by Order which of the presidents of those Magistrates' Courts has authority in respect thereof.
(c)The Minister of Justice may, after consulting the relevant local authority, revoke or amend an Order made under this Section.
Jurisdiction [II/29c]§
55.
(a)A Local Affairs Court shall try offences under the Municipalities Ordinance, the Local Councils Ordinance, and the Planning and Building Law, 5725-1965, and under regulations, orders and by-laws made thereunder, as well as offences under the enactments listed in the Third Schedule, including regulations, orders and by-laws made thereunder.
(a1)A Local Affairs Court shall hear appeals against a final decision of a traffic tribunal, or against another decision of such a tribunal if leave therefor has been granted by a judge of a Local Affairs Court, in the matter of a fine for a traffic violation imposed by an inspector who is an inspector or employee of a local authority, as referred to in section 24(c) of the Administrative Traffic Violations Law, 5784-2024.
(b)The Minister of Justice, with the approval of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset, may by Order amend the Third Schedule.
(c)Any enactment in which jurisdiction was conferred on a municipal court shall be read as if the jurisdiction were conferred on a Local Affairs Court.
Status of a Local Affairs Court [II/29d]§
56.
(a)A Local Affairs Court shall have the same status as a Magistrate's Court, and the provisions of Section C, except section 51, shall apply to it insofar as there is no other provision in this Section, and with the necessary modifications.
(b)A judge of a Local Affairs Court shall have the same status as a judge of a Magistrate's Court in all respects.
Appointment of a Judge [II/29e]§
57.
(a)The Minister of Justice, with the consent of the President of the Supreme Court, may appoint, for a period and on conditions that he shall determine, a judge to fulfil the role of a judge of a Local Affairs Court; when sitting in judgment, the powers of a judge so appointed shall be the powers of a judge of a Magistrate's Court.
(b)(Repealed)
(c)The provisions of this Section do not derogate from the power of a judge of a Magistrate's Court to try offences as referred to in section 55 and to serve as a judge of a Local Affairs Court.
(d)(Repealed)
Preservation of Powers [II/29f]§
58.
Nothing in the provisions of this Section shall derogate from the power of a Magistrate's Court to try offences as referred to in section 55.
Need to cite this law in a foreign court?
Eli Shimony Israeli Attorneys-at-Law provides certified Expert Legal Opinions on Israeli law within 24–48 hours, accepted by courts worldwide.
Contact Us →Read the entire law on one page — continuous text, no page breaks, plus PDF downloads.