Canon 1425. §1 The following matters are reserved to a collegiate tribunal of three judges, any contrary custom being reprobated:

1° contentious cases: a) concerning the bond of sacred ordination; b) concerning the bond of marriage, without prejudice to the provisions of cann. 1686 and 1688;

2° penal cases: a) for offences which can carry the penalty of dismissal from the clerical state; b) concerning the imposition or declaration of an excommunication.

§2 The Bishop can entrust the more difficult cases or those of greater importance to the judgement of three or of five judges.

§3 The judicial Vicar is to assign judges in order by rotation to hear the individual cases, unless in particular cases the Bishop has decided otherwise.

§4 In a trial at first instance, if it should happen that it is impossible to constitute a college of judges, the Episcopal Conference can for as long as the impossibility persists, permit the Bishop to entrust cases to a sole clerical judge. Where possible, the sole judge is to associate with himself an assessor and an auditor.

§5 Once judges have been designated, the judicial Vicar is not to replace them, except for a very grave reason, which must be expressed in a decree.

§1. Reprobata contraria consuetudine, tribunali collegiali trium iudicum reservantur:

1° causae contentiosae: a) de vinculo sacrae ordinationis; b) de vinculo matrimonii, firmis praescriptis can. 1686 et 1688;

2° causae poenales: a) de delictis quae poenam dimissionis e statu clericali secumferre possunt; b) de irroganda vel declaranda excommunicatione.

§2. Episcopus causas difficiliores vel maioris momenti committere potest iudicio trium vel quinque iudicum.

§3. Vicarius iudicialis ad singulas causas cognoscendas iudices ex ordine per turnum advocet, nisi Episcopus in singulis casibus aliter statuerit.

§4. In primo iudicii gradu, si forte collegium constitui nequeat, Episcoporum conferentia, quamdiu huiusmodi impossibilitas perduret, permittere potest ut Episcopus causas unico iudici clerico committat, qui, ubi fieri possit, assessorem et auditorem sibi asciscat.

§5. Iudices semel designatos ne subroget Vicarius iudicialis, nisi ex gravissima causa in decreto exprimenda.