'We have gathered today to celebrate the foremost members of our profession; judges, court leaders, clerks and members of the court staff'.

Dr. Sándor Fazekas, president in office of the National Judicial Council (NJC) has started his solemn speech with these words.

Speaking about the first year of functioning of the Council, Dr. Fazekas highlighted that the NJC has laid down all of those principles connected to its competences, by which it can fulfil its tasks consequently and transparently, committed to the reformation of the Hungarian judiciary.

The Day of the Courts was first celebrated in 2001. The National Council of Justice (NCJ) declared the 15 July – the day of promulgation of the Law No. 4 of 1869 on the Exercising of the Judicial Power – as the yearly celebrated day of the judges and the court staff. This law was the first one to separate the public administration and the judiciary and the first one to declare judicial independence.

On its first session on 24 March 2013 the NJC has made a decision about upholding the 'Andor Juhász Award' for acknowledging the high quality work in the judiciary founded by the NCJ in memory of the distinguished president of the Hungarian Royal Curia, Andor Juhász.

On its sessions in Spring 2013 the NJC has decided about the donation of the Andor Juhász Award to 117 judges and court staff members. On the occasion of the Day of the Courts the president in office of the Council has handed over the Andor Juhász Awards; the Diplomas for Court Service; the titles of honorary judges of the Curia, the regional courts of appeal, the regional courts; and the titles of senior counsellors and counsellors.