New judicial bodies: How will they work?

How will the current judicial process in the RCA change with the transition to middle assemblies? 

The 2024 General Synod moved forward the process of consolidating two levels of assemblies into one. RCA regional synods and classes will be re-formed to become “middle assemblies.” The recommendation was approved by more than two-thirds of classes, and General Synod 2025 passed the final step: declaring the change effective. Synod approved a delayed effective date of December 30, 2026, to allow more time for discernment and implementation. 

While this change was being considered in 2024, the restructuring team report noted an important loss: “As an outgrowth of the elimination of a level of assembly, the restructuring team, in consultation with the Commission on Church Order, is proposing the creation of new judicial bodies in order to preserve the number of appeals available in our current system.” Maintaining a fair and comprehensive appellate system remains a value that required something new to be created.

Currently, when someone objects to a judicial decision by a classis, the appeal is heard by the regional synod. When the new structure takes effect in 2026, both the middle assembly and General Synod will establish a Commission on Judicial Business (CJB) that will serve as the first judicatory for each body to hear and decide both charges and complaints. It will also serve as the first body to hear an appeal from a narrower assembly, such as a consistory. If a decision of the General Synod Commission on Judicial Business is appealed, a second hearing will occur with the whole General Synod CJB.

A specialized committee commissioned for this work of judicial business is intended to relieve the workload of the gathered assemblies, while also offering members of the RCA an orderly, equitable, and thoughtful process for a complaint or charge to be considered. 

This will not impact current practices in the local church. In a church, the Board of Elders remains responsible for charges or complaints brought forward by a member. The change would first be experienced if the decision of the Board of Elders would be appealed. Rather than the classis hearing that appeal, the first consideration of that appeal would be the CJB of the middle assembly.

When effective, the BCO will read: “Each middle assembly and the General Synod shall appoint a commission on judicial business. This commission is a judicatory and shall execute all judicial authority granted to each respective body by the Book of Church Order.” 

Each middle assembly will appoint one delegate to compose the General Synod CJB. In last year’s discussion, the composition of this commission was of special concern. The 2024 General Synod asked that the Commission on Church Order consult with the Commission on Race and Ethnicity, as well as the Commission for Women, to propose how the General Synod CJB will include sufficient diversity. The Commission on Church Order considered that task over the last year and was unable to determine a constitutionally appropriate way to adjust the composition of the CJB. Their report explained: 

The commission consulted with the Commission on Race and Ethnicity and the Commission for Women about the challenge of including sufficient diversity in a commission whose members are selected by classes, not the General Synod Commission on Nominations. The commissions concluded that a positive step would be for the racial and ethnic councils and the Commission for Women to consult with classes in helping them to select their nominees to the Commission on Judicial Business, and commend this practice to the racial and ethnic councils, Commission for Women, and classes for their consideration. 

While order and judicial procedures may seem disconnected to the RCA’s shared life in Christ at first glance, having a system to address judicial business with clear paths of action, trained judicatories, and multiple layers of appeal help to ensure that the RCA can continue to live into the mercy and justice which is embodied in Christ.

This new structure for judicial business will take effect December 30, 2026, when the change to middle assemblies takes effect. In accordance with the provisions for transition adopted at General Synod 2025, any judicial business still in process that was initiated under the prior structure will be completed under that structure, with various classis and regional judicial committees only being dissolved when pending business is complete. 

The Commission on Church Order is willing to provide advisory opinions and will be updating explanatory notes; it welcomes questions.