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Judge Charles Smith III
NationalityUnited StatesDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Charles L. Smith III has been working as mediator and arbitrator since 2014. He previously served as EULEX Judge from 2010 through 2013. As part of this mandate, he was a member of the Supreme Court of Kosovo between 2011 and 2013, and was elected Vice-President and President of the Assembly of EULEX Judges for 2011-2012, and 2013, respectively. Prior to this, in 1990, he was appointed District Court Judge in the Fourth Judicial District of the State of Iowa, where from 1996 through 2010, he served as Chief Judge and as member of the Iowa State Judicial Council. Between 1970 and 1989, he operated a private practice of law, specialised in civil and criminal litigation, as well as business, taxation and probate law. Judge Smith, III holds a J.D from Creighton University (United States of America) received in 1970. He was called to the Nebraska State Bar in June 1970 and the Iowa State Bar in June 1971.
Cases/Functions at the KSC
Presiding Judge of the Trial Panels in the Gucati & Haradinaj and Thaçi et al. cases;
Vice President of the Court since 29 April 2020;
Higher Judge for Staff Appeals cases.
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Judge Charles Smith III
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Judge Christine van den Wyngaert
NationalityBelgiumDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Christine van den Wyngaert served as a Judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) from 2009 to 2018. On 17 September 2021, Judge van den Wyngaert was appointed to serve as one of the Special Advisors to the Prosecutor of the ICC. She previously served as Judge with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia between 2003 and 2009, and as ad hoc Judge at the International Court of Justice between 2000 and 2002. Prior to this, between 1991 and 1998, she was the Vice Chair of the Criminal Procedure Reform Commission in Belgium (Commission Franchimont). She further served as an expert for the European Union in various criminal law projects. Between 1985 and 2005, she held a chair as professor at the University of Antwerp. She was a visiting fellow at the Lauterpacht Centre (University of Cambridge) and, since 2001, an honorary Professor at the University of Stellenbosch. Judge van den Wyngaert holds a law degree from Brussels University (Belgium), and obtained her PhD in International Criminal Law from Brussels University. She received five honorary doctorates - Uppsala (Sweden), Brussels, Case Western Reserve (US), Maastricht and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa). She has published extensively in the field of criminal law, criminal procedure, comparative criminal law and international criminal law. In 2019, the International Association of Penal Law awarded her the Jescheck Prize for her lifetime contributions to international criminal justice and she received the prestigious Vespasian V. Pella medal, which is handed to a new recipient only every decade.
Cases/Functions at the KSC
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Judge Christine van den Wyngaert
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Judge Michèle Picard
NationalityFranceDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Michèle Picard has been serving as Judge at the Appeals Court of Paris since June 2013. She previously served as Judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia from 2008 through 2013. Prior to that, between 2007 and 2008, she was appointed as a member of the Human Rights Advisory Panel in Kosovo, and from 1996 to 2003 she presided over the Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2005, she was appointed as an independent expert on the Human Rights Situation in Uzbekistan. She also worked for the Council of Europe as an expert on compatibility exercises in Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Judge Picard holds a law degree from the University of Paris II. She graduated from the National School for Magistrates in Bordeaux in 1992.
Cases/Functions at the KSC
Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeals Panel in the following cases:
Hysni Gucati & Nasim Haradinaj
Presiding Judge of the Court of Appeals Panel in interlocutory appeal proceedings in multiple cases.
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Judge Michèle Picard
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Judge Thomas Laker
NationalityGermanyDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Thomas Laker served as Presiding Judge at the Administrative Law Court in Hamburg (Germany) from 2005 to 2020. Prior to this, he was seconded to the Department of Justice of Hamburg (1992-1996), to the Administrative Court of Appeal of Hamburg (1999-2000) and to the Social Law Court of Hamburg (2005). He was appointed among the first Judges of the United Nations Dispute Tribunal, where he served two terms as President (2010-2011; 2013-2014). Currently, he serves as Judge on several administrative tribunals of international organisations and agencies, including the World Bank (since 2024), Council of Europe (since 2021), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (since 2020), and as chairperson of the Panel of Adjudicators of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (since 2016) as well as Chairperson of the Joint Appeals Board of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (since 2011). Judge Laker has passed the State Examinations in law and holds a PhD from the University of Göttingen (Germany).
Cases/Functions at the KSC
Judge for Staff Appeals cases.
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Judge Thomas Laker
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Judge Emilio Gatti
NationalityItalyDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Emilio Gatti has been serving as Public Prosecutor at the District Court Level in Genoa since 2010. He previously served as a Criminal Judge in the Genoa district from 2001 until 2008 and as a Criminal Judge first and as a Public Prosecutor later at the District Court of Savona between 1985 and 2001. From 2008 through 2010, he served in the Kosovo EULEX Mission as a Criminal Judge. Judge Gatti holds a law degree from Genoa University (Italy). He has published widely in the field of international legal assistance, international humanitarian law and the law of cultural heritage.
Cases/Functions at the KSC
Member of the Court of Appeals Panel in interlocutory appeal proceedings in multiple cases.
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Judge Emilio Gatti
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Judge Vidar Stensland
NationalityNorwayDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Vidar Stensland has been serving as Court of Appeals Judge at Haalogaland Court of Appeals in Tromsø since 2001. He previously served as EULEX Judge from 2013 through 2016, where he was assigned to the Mitrovica Basic Court. Prior to that, he was a Legal Advisor and later Head of Mission at the Norwegian Mission of Rule of Law Advisors to Georgia between 2007 and 2009. Prior to that, between 2004 and 2009, he was a member of the Criminal Cases Review Commission in Norway. From 2000 until 2001, he operated a private practice as Attorney-at-Law. Between 1985 and 1999, he held various positions in the Norwegian Prosecution Service as Head of the Prosecution Department/Deputy Chief of Police, Senior Public Prosecutor in northern Norway and at The Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime. He has lectured on criminal law and procedure, including international human rights law, at different universities in Norway and abroad. Judge Stensland holds a law degree from the University of Oslo (Norway). He was called to the Bar in Norway in 1987.
Cases/Functions at the KSC
Presiding Judge of the KSC Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court (the current term started on 1 June 2025).
Presiding Judge / Member of Constitutional Court Panels seised with referrals in the following cases:
Referrals related to the KSC Rules of Procedure and Evidence (first; third)
Referral by the President of the Kosovo Parliament
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Judge Vidar Stensland
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Judge Roland Dekkers
NationalityNetherlandsDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Roland Dekkers has been serving as Senior Judge at the Court of Appeal of 's-Hertogenbosch since 2017. From 2008 to 2017 he served as Senior Judge (Vice-President) at the Court of Appeal of The Hague, where he was Head of the Division for International Crimes. From 2005 through 2008, Judge Dekkers served as International Judge at the War Crimes Chamber of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo). Prior to that he was assigned as Judge to the Criminal Divisions of the Court of Appeal of Amsterdam (2002-2008), the District Court of Roermond (2001-2002) and he was appointed as a Judge of the Joint Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba (1997-2001). Between 1992 and 1997, he was assigned to the District Court of The Hague, first as senior legal officer, and later as Judge. Previously, he worked as Company lawyer and as a junior researcher in Civil Law at Utrecht University. Judge Dekkers has been a guest lecturer in International Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure at several universities in the Netherlands. He was also a member of the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University and a Member of the Roster of Experts of the UN Security Council Affairs. Judge Dekkers studied law at the universities of Utrecht and Maastricht (Netherlands). He holds a law degree from Maastricht University.
Cases/Functions at the KSC
Member of the Trial Panel in the following cases:
Member of the KSC Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court (February 2017 – September 2021).
Member of Constitutional Court Panels seised with referrals in the following cases:
Referrals related to the KSC Rules of Procedure and Evidence (first; second; third)
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Judge Roland Dekkers
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Judge Antonio Balsamo
NationalityItalyDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Antonio Balsamo was appointed President of the Court of Palermo in July 2021. He further served as Professor of Criminal law at the Faculty of Law of the LUMSA in Palermo. He previously served as President of the Court of Assize of Caltanissetta from 2011 to 2018, and as Deputy Prosecutor General of the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation from 2016 to 2018. Prior to this, Judge Balsamo was Judge seconded to the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation from 2007 to 2011 and Judge of the Court of Palermo from 1992 to 2007. He also served as Presiding Member of the Human Rights Review Panel of EULEX in Kosovo from May 2010 to May 2012. Judge Balsamo participated as an expert and consultant in EU projects concerning the reform of the Criminal Code of Bulgaria, the establishment of a Public Prosecutors Office to deal with organized crime and corruption in the FYROM, and human trafficking in Turkey. He was a member of several Italian judicial committees and boards. Judge Balsamo holds a law degree from the University of Palermo (Italy), and received his specialization Diploma in Regional and Local Government Law from the University of Palermo. He was appointed as a trainee Judge in 1991. He has published extensively on various topics related to criminal law and the protection of human rights at both the national and international level.
Cases/Functions at the KSC
Member of the KSC Specialist Chamber of the Constitutional Court (February 2017 - 2 December 2024).
Member of Constitutional Court panels seised with referrals in the following cases:
Referrals by the President of the Kosovo Parliament
Referrals related to the KSC Rules of Procedure and Evidence (first;second; third).
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Judge Antonio Balsamo
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Judge Kai Ambos
NationalityGermanyDate of appointment07 February 2017Biography
Judge Kai Ambos has been serving as the Head of the Department of Foreign and International Criminal Law and Chair of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Comparative Law and International Criminal Law at the University of Göttingen (Germany) since May 2003. He was appointed Director of the Centro de Estudios de Derecho Penal y Procesal Penal Latinoamericano (CEDPAL) of the University of Göttingen in 2013. He also served as Defence Counsel and consultant at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Court. Since March 2006, Judge Ambos has been serving as a part-time Judge at the Provincial Court of Lower Saxony in Göttingen, from where he was delegated to the Appeals Court Braunschweig for 2015. Judge Ambos studied law and political science at the universities of Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), Oxford (UK) and Munich (Germany). He passed his first State Examination in 1990 and his second State Examination, enabling him to practice law, in 1994. Judge Ambos obtained his PhD in 1992 and his habilitation in 2001 (both at the University of München). He has published extensively in the field of criminal law and procedure, comparative law and international criminal law.
Cases/Functions at the KSC
Member of the Court of Appeals Panel in the following cases:
Member of the Court of Appeals Panel in interlocutory appeal proceedings in multiple cases.
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Judge Kai Ambos