A judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President of the Supreme Court on the basis of a positive opinion of the general meeting of judges of the relevant Department.
If a person being already a judge approved by the Saeima (the parliament) in a lower court is nominated for the position of a judge of the Supreme Court, the decision shall be adopted by the Judicial Council. If a person who is not a judge is nominated for the position of a Supreme Court judge, he/she shall be approved by the Saeima without setting a time limit for the term of office.
On the proposal of the President of the Supreme Court the general meeting of the respective Department may appoint a judge of another Department to serve as a judge in the said Department.
During a vacancy or temporary absence, a judge of the Supreme Court, on the proposal of the President of the Supreme Court and following a positive opinion of the relevant Department, may be temporarily replaced by a judge of a regional court for a maximum of two years.