The Tribunal of the Roman Rota is a Court of the Apostolic See.

The origin of the name “Rota” is controversial. There are those who attribute it to the fact that the judges originally met in a ’round court, to support those who think they were rotating seats on the rolls of the causes, or that the name is to be attributed to the fact that the judges sit in rotation by turns, just a rotation, the decision of cases.

Whatever the origin of the name, certainly the Court is an ancient constitution, born during the pontificate of Lucius III (1181-1185) as the Apostolic Chancery. With the passing of time the order of the Court was the subject of many reforms, and its ancient name of the Sacred Roman Rota is already found in the XIII century. The history of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota is clearly intertwined with the history of the Church and of the Papal States, so much so that in 1870, after the seizure of Rome by Italian troops, the work of Rota stopped, reducing to a minimum.

Only in 1908, under Pope St. Pius X in the Roman Rota, reorganized and regulated by the new rules, resumed its activities in full swing. The latest reforms have been introduced in 1994 with the present rules (Normae Romanae Rotae Tribunalis).

Other rules that define the jurisdiction of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota can be found in the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus and the Code of Canon Law.

In summary, the Roman Rota has some expertise in first grade, while the Court of Appeal shared with the ordinary courts of appeal in the second degree. At the Roman Rota are treated not only the causes of nullity of marriage, but also criminal and the so-called causae iurium (those not related to marriage), from around the world.

Key tasks of the Roman Rota is the protection of human rights in the Church, to draw the basic lines of the law by ensuring uniformity and provide, through its decisions, aid to the lower courts.

The causes are addressed in Latin. Precisely because of the characteristics of this Court, which the Supreme Pontiff normally uses for matters delegated to the Holy See, the patronage before the Roman Rota is reserved for lawyers rotali placed in the appropriate register kept by the Court itself, which is required preparation higher.