The Justices

The members of the Constitutional Court are appointed by the Federal President from proposals given either by the Federal Government, the National Council or the Federal Council. Even though the appointment may also be a political decision, as is the case in all Constitutional Courts worldwide, the justices act independently after assuming office, and not along political lines. All 14 members of the Constitutional Court (as well as the six substitute members) have to be qualified for the position through their study of law, as well as their extensive, relevant professional experience. They come from different professions (judges, university professors, civil servants, lawyers), from different federal states and different sociopolitical fields. This secures the pluralistic composition of the Court. Active civil servants - such as department heads - must resign along with giving up the associated income. Others, such as judges, lawyers or university professors, continue their profession. The justices remain in office until they are 70 years old. They cannot be removed from office, except by decision of the Constitutional Court itself.

The members of the Constitutional Court are:

President (Chief Justice) of the Constitutional Court
Gerhart Holzinger
University Professor Former head of the Department of Constitutional Law of the Office of the Federal Chancellor
Born 1947 in Gmunden
Awarded JD, University of Salzburg
Member since 1995

Vice President of the Constitutional Court
Brigitte Bierlein
Former Attorney General in the Attorney General's office
Born 1949 in Vienna
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Vice President since January 1, 2003

Justice Herbert Haller
University Professor
Born 1940 in Munich
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Member since Jan. 1, 2003

Justice Lisbeth Lass
Attorney at Law
Born 1940 in Innsbruck
Awarded JD, University of Innsbruck
Member since 1994

Justice Willibald Liehr
Honorary Professor
Former Councilor of the State Government of Lower Austria
Born 1941 in Vienna
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Member since 1996

Justice Hans Georg Ruppe
University Professor
Born 1942 in Vienna
Awarded JD, Doctorate of Political Science, University of Vienna
Member since 1999

Justice Peter Oberndorfer
University Professor
Born 1942 in Linz
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Member since 1987

Justice Rudolf Müller
Honorary Professor
Judge of the Administrative Court
Born 1947 in Vienna
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Member since 1998

Justice Eleonore Berchtold-Ostermann
Attorney at Law
Born 1947 in Vienna
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Masters in Economics, University of Economics and Business Administration, Vienna
Member since 1997

Justice Claudia Kahr
Former head of the Department of the Ministry of Transport
Born 1955 in Graz
Awarded JD, University of Graz
Member since 1999

Justice Johannes Schnizer
Former Official of Parliament
Born 1951 in Graz
Awarded JD, University of Salzburg
Member since 2010

Justice Helmut Hörtenhuber
Former Head of the Department of Constitutional Law in Upper Austria
Born 1959 in Linz
Awarded JD, University of Linz
Member since 2008

Justice Sieglinde Gahleitner
Attorney at Law
Born 1965 in St. Veit/Upper Austria
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Member since 2010

Justice Christoph Grabenwarter
University Professor
Born 1966 in Bruck/Mur, Styria
Awarded JD, Doctorate of Economics, University of Vienna Member since 2005


The Court also has six substitute members, who step in if one of the 14 justices is, for example, ill or considered to have a conflict of interest. The substitute members are:

Johannes Hengstschläger
University Professor
Born 1940 in Lichtenberg
Awarded JD, University of Linz
Subsitute Member since 2008

Irmgard Griss
President of the Supreme Court
Born 1946 in Bösenbach
Awarded JD, University of Graz
Substitute Member since 2008

Lilian Hofmeister
Judge of the Vienna Commercial Court
Born 1950 in Vienna
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Substitute Member since 1998

Gabriele Kucsko-Stadlmayer
University Professor
Born 1955 in Vienna
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Substitute Member since 1995

Robert Schick
Judge of the Administrative Court
Born 1959 in Vienna
Awarded JD, University of Vienna
Substitute Member since 1999

Nikolaus Bachler
Judge of the Administrative Court Born 1967 in Graz Awarded JD, University of Graz Substitute Member since 2009