Title II: Of the Various Grades and Species of Tribunals

§ 1. On account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff, it is open to any member of the faithful in the whole Catholic world to refer his cause, whether contentious or criminal, in any grade of trial and in any state of the litigation, to the Holy See to be heard, or to introduce it before the same.

§ 2. Nevertheless recourse interposed to the Apostolic See does not suspend, except in a case of appeal, the exercise of jurisdiction in the judge who has already begun to hear the cause; and therefore he can pursue the trial up to definitive sentence, unless it has been established that the Apostolic See has called the cause to itself.

§ 1. Excepting causes reserved to the Apostolic See or called to the same, all others are heard by diverse tribunals, of which in can. 1572 and following.

§ 2. Nevertheless any tribunal, as regards examination or citation of parties and witnesses, inspection of documents or of the controverted thing, intimation of decrees, and other things of this kind, has the right of calling another tribunal to aid, which must observe the norms prescribed by law for individual acts.

He who has seen a cause in one grade of trial cannot judge the same cause in another.