Capítulo II. Organización de los tribunales

The Family Tribunals are constituted:

a)By the Family Courts that hear the matters in first instance; and

b)By the Family Courts of Appeals, which hear in second instance the decisions of the Family Courts.

The designation of the magistrates of the Courts of Appeals and of the family judges shall be made in the form established by the laws for the ordinary jurisdiction.

The magistrates and family judges must be over 35 years of age, licensed attorneys and, preferably, heads of household.

The civil judges of first instance in the departments where family courts do not operate shall exercise the exclusive family jurisdiction.

In the municipalities where there is no family tribunal or civil judge of first instance, the justices of the peace shall hear in first instance the family matters of lesser or minimal amount, unless the interested parties go directly before them.

The personnel of each Family Tribunal shall be integrated by a secretary, the social workers that are necessary and the other personnel that good service requires.

The appointments to which this article refers shall be made adopting for that purpose the most adequate selection system, so that the appointees are persons of recognized morality and merits.