The high court of Galicia is the maximum expression of the judiciary in the autonomous community. It was established 23 May 1989 as an integrative organ of the judicial framework. The high courts are the product of the plan envisaged in article 26 of substantive law of the judiciary. 

It consists of three courts:

• Civil and Criminal Court
• Contentious Administrative Court
• Labour Court

The civil and criminal court hears appeals in cassation and review against the judgments of the other courts of the territory regarding Galician civil law. It also is responsible for civil actions and criminal actions against denominated privileged persons. Privileged persons are members of the government and legislative assembly of the autonomous community and certain judicial positions. It settles, in addition, appeals in matters of jury law. 

The contentious administrative court deals with appeals against acts of local administrations and the autonomous community when hearing said appeals is not attributed to the administrative courts. It also settles appeals against the judgments of the latter and appeals related to election committees, both provincial and of the autonomous community.

The labour court hears appeals for reversals of judgments of employment tribunals of the territory, as well as questions of competence that arise among them. 

Apart from the abovementioned jurisdictional authority, the high court has additional competence of a governmental nature that resides in its president and Sala de Gobierno (government court).  

The government court is the internal government organ of the courts and tribunals of the autonomous community. Its main objective is organization of the daily operation of the courts and tribunals of Galicia.

The government court consists of:

• President of the tribunal
• Presidents of the courts
• Presidents of the four provincial courts
• An equal number of magistrates or judges elected by all the members of the judicial profession posted in the autonomous community. At least one must be a judge.

The president of the government court is the president of the high court of Galicia. In addition to the president, the presidents of the contentious administrative court and employment tribunal, the president of the provincial court, the chief judge of the city of Galicia and the court clerk of the government court are ex officio members. 

The government court has broad jurisdictional authority for organizing the operation of the courts and tribunals for which it is responsible. Its duties include:

• To verify that the posts of judges assigned to the said courts are adequately filled.
• Analyzing the complaints lodged by citizens regarding the administration of justice.
• Reviewing the sanctions imposed by judges on participants in judicial proceedings.
• Proposing inspection visits to the presidents.
• Maintaining institutional relations with other public administrations with the aim of improving the functioning of the administration of justice.
• Preparing studies and proposals directed at the General Council of the Judiciary.
• To exercise disciplinary faculties over magistrates and judges.