Justice of the Peace judges for Bigastro and Crevillente appointed for four years

The Governing Chamber of the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community has appointed titular justices of the peace for Bigastro and Crevillente for a period of four years. The agreements were adopted in the session of September 9, 2026, and are published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante number 178, dated September 18, 2026, within section IV, Administration of Justice, via edicts 7042/2026 and 7043/2026.

The appointment of justices of the peace is the responsibility of the Governing Chamber of the high court of justice of the autonomous community, upon the proposal of the city councils, which previously elect the candidates in a plenary session. The publication of the edict in the provincial gazette is the act that gives effect to the appointment and establishes the start of the mandate’s term, as expressly stated in both agreements.

The two appointments

• Antonio Gómez Ballester, titular justice of the peace of Bigastro, a municipality of the judicial district of Orihuela. He was elected by the Plenary of the Bigastro City Council via agreement on July 27, 2026, with certification attached to Government File No. 395/93. The agreement of the Governing Chamber appears in point 28º of edict 7042/2026.
• José Policarpo Ramón Penalva, titular justice of the peace of Crevillente, a municipality of the judicial district of Elche. He was elected by the Plenary of the Crevillente City Council via agreement on June 26, 2026, with certification attached to Government File No. 393/93. The agreement appears in point 19º of edict 7043/2026.

In both cases, the mandate is for four years and is calculated from the date of publication of the appointment in the Official Gazette of the Province. The agreements were adopted unanimously by the attending members of the Governing Chamber Commission, as stated in the two edicts, signed in València on September 14, 2026, by the Government Secretary, Rafael Lara Hernández.

Deadlines and taking office

The edicts warn the appointees of the obligations accompanying the position:

• To take office at the Justice Office of the corresponding municipality within three days following the taking of the oath or promise, if applicable.
• In any case, to take office within twenty calendar days following the publication of the appointment in the provincial gazette.
• To previously take the oath or promise before the Presidency of the Court of First Instance of Orihuela, in the case of Bigastro, and before that of Elche, in the case of Crevillente.
• The refusal to take the oath or promise, when applicable, or the failure to take office without just cause is understood as a resignation from the position.

Legal framework and processing

The appointments are based on Article 101 of the Organic Law of the Judiciary and Articles 4, 8, and concordant articles of Regulation No. 3/1995, on Justices of the Peace, approved by agreement of the Plenary of the General Council of the Judiciary on June 7, 1995. The publication of the agreement is carried out in compliance with Article 8 of said regulatory norm.

The process begins with the municipal election: the plenums of Bigastro and Crevillente designated their candidates and submitted the certifications of the agreements, which were incorporated into government files 395/93 and 393/93. The Governing Chamber of the TSJCV subsequently validated both proposals and ordered the issuance of the corresponding appointments.

Justices of the peace exercise limited jurisdictional functions in municipalities where there is no court of first instance and instruction, and they handle small claims matters, conciliations, and certain civil and criminal proceedings. With these two edicts, the positions for Bigastro and Crevillente are filled for the next four years, which guarantees the continuity of service in the judicial offices of both municipalities and prevents residents from having to travel to the headquarters in Orihuela or Elche for procedures that correspond to the justice of the peace court.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Alicante, No. 178 of 09/18/2026, IV. Administration of Justice (official reference: 7042/2026 and 7043/2026).