Appointment of Member of the Council for the Judiciary

Mr. S. (Saskia) Sicking-Sluis is appointed as a judicial member of the Council for the Judiciary. The Council of Ministers has approved this on the recommendation of State Secretary Rutte of Justice and Security. The appointment takes effect on February 1, 2026, for a period of six years. The appointment follows a recruitment procedure by a Recommendation Committee consisting of representatives from the government and the judiciary.

Mr. Sicking-Sluis is currently president of the Oost-Brabant court. Previously, she was head of strategy and legal advisor at the Council for the Judiciary, head of the private law department at the Noord-Holland court, and team leader at the Haarlem court. Mr. Sicking-Sluis succeeds vice-chairman and judicial member Mr. A.A.E. (Areane) Dorsman, whose term ends at the end of this year.

The Council for the Judiciary does not itself administer justice but ensures that justice can be administered in the Netherlands. The Council is an independent institution and serves as a point of contact for the Judiciary, representing the common interests of the various courts and courts of appeal. The Council manages the budget of the judiciary, supervises the operations of individual courts, and supports courts to ensure uniform application of the law and legal quality. The Council also advises on policy and legislation regarding the judiciary. The Council consists of five members appointed by royal decree, two of whom are not part of the judiciary. The chairperson is always a judge.