Justice
In the area of justice, the ministry organises the business of the Constitutional Court and legislation relating to constitutional reviews (notwithstanding the responsibilities of the Prime Minister), as well as the administration of justice, non-adversarial proceedings, the administration of criminal justice, and procedural law relating to the administrative, labour, social and financial courts.
In addition, it is responsible for matters relating to notaries, lawyers and legal advisers. The Ministry of Justice oversees the public prosecution service and supervises the operations of the ordinary courts, administrative courts, labour courts, social courts and the financial court, and also public prosecution services, penal institutions, the Saarland Clinic of Forensic Psychiatry, and the military detention centre. It therefore regulates matters relating to the penal system, youth prisons, detention and remand in custody as well as detention orders. Furthermore, it oversees the legislation relating to the judicial service and the training of lawyers as well as international legal assistance. It is also responsible for issuing pardons in Saarland. In relation to legal issues of particular importance to Saarland, the ministry acts as a legal adviser to the state government. In addition, the Ministry of Justice deals with current issues relating to legal policy as part of the conference of justice ministers.