1. Esther Hayut is an Israeli jurist who served as president of the Supreme Court of Israel from October 2017 to October 2023, and as Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel from 2004 to 2023.
14 Facts About Esther Hayut
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Esther Hayut is considered to have been a progressive and liberal justice in the Supreme Court of Israel, playing a key role in many landmark cases throughout her tenure.
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Esther Hayut's parents divorced when she was a toddler, and her father emigrated to the United Kingdom.
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Esther Hayut grew up in her grandparents' home in the Neve Amal neighborhood of Herzliya.
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Esther Hayut interned at the law firm of Haim Yosef Zadok, a former Israeli Minister of Justice, where she stayed on to work as an associate lawyer between 1977 and 1985.
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Esther Hayut was appointed judge of the Tel Aviv Magistrates Court in March 1990, acting judge of the Tel Aviv District Court in October 1996, and judge of the Tel Aviv District Court in September 1997.
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Esther Hayut served as an acting justice of the Supreme Court from March 2003 and as justice of the Supreme Court of Israel since May 2004.
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Miriam Naor 8.
In May 2015 Esther Hayut was appointed Chairperson of the Central Election Committee for the 20th Knesset.
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Esther Hayut was unanimously elected to replace Miriam Naor as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 2017 according to the seniority method used in Israel.
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Esther Hayut is said to have played a key role in shaping the doctrine that limits the Knesset's authority.
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Esther Hayut emphasized that while the Knesset has broad powers, they are not unlimited and that amendments cannot undermine Israel's core identity as a Jewish and democratic state.
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Esther Hayut retired on 15 October 2023, legally mandated for Supreme Court presidents when reaching 70, with no permanent replacement named.
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Esther Hayut raised concerns about threats to the independence of several important institutions, including the judiciary, universities and the media.
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On 23 December 2024 Esther Hayut was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the University of Haifa.