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The Judicial Council is the highest legal body in The United Methodist Church. It rules on the constitutionality and legality of actions of the General, Jurisdictional, Central and Annual Conferences. It rules on decisions made by presiding bishops on questions of law arising in an Annual Conference. It also rules on whether acts of other official bodies of the denomination conform with the Book of Discipline. It acts on these either on appeal of lower rulings or through requests for declaratory decisions. Only General Conferences, Jurisdictional, Central or Annual Conferences, the Council of Bishops or a general agency can petition the Council.
The Council is composed of nine members and must reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of the United Methodist Church in the United .States. They are elected for eight-year terms by the General Conference from a slate of nominees submitted by the Council of Bishops. The General Conference also elects six lay and six ministerial alternates to serve in the case of a vacancy. Decisions made by the Judicial Council are final.
In 1939 with the merger of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and the Methodist Protestant Church provision was made in the Constitution for a Judicial Council. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South had such a body in operation since 1934. It served as the model for the Judicial Council of the newly formed Methodist Church. In 1968 with the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church there was no basic change in the function of the Judicial Council.