Section E. Internal functioning of the Tribunal
Article 40
The internal judicial practice of the Tribunal shall, subject to the Convention, the Statute and these Rules, be governed by any resolutions on the subject adopted by the Tribunal.
Article 41
1. The quorum specified by article 13, paragraph 1, of the Statute applies to all meetings of the Tribunal. The quorum specified in article 35, paragraph 7, of the Statute applies to all meetings of the Seabed Disputes Chamber. The quorum specified for a special chamber applies to all meetings of that chamber. 2. Members shall hold themselves permanently available to exercise their functions and shall attend all such meetings, unless they are absent on leave as provided for in paragraph 4 or prevented from attending by illness or for other serious reasons duly explained to the President of the Tribunal, who shall inform the Tribunal. 3. Judges ad hoc are likewise bound to hold themselves at the disposal of the Tribunal and to attend all meetings held in the case in which they are participating unless they are prevented from attending by illness or for other serious reasons duly explained to the President of the Tribunal, who shall inform the Tribunal. They shall not be taken into account for the calculation of the quorum. 4. The Tribunal shall fix the dates and duration of the judicial vacations and the periods and conditions of leave to be accorded to individual Members, having regard in both cases to the state of the List of cases and to the requirements of its current work. 5. Subject to the same considerations, the Tribunal shall observe the public holidays customary at the place where the Tribunal is sitting. 6. In case of urgency the President of the Tribunal may convene the Tribunal at any time.
Article 42
1. The deliberations of the Tribunal shall take place in private and remain secret. The Tribunal may, however, at any time decide in respect of its deliberations on other than judicial matters to publish or allow publication of any part of them. 2. Only judges and any experts appointed in accordance with article 289 of the Convention take part in the Tribunal’s judicial deliberations. The Registrar, or his Deputy, and other members of the staff of the Registry as may be required shall be present. No other person shall be present except by permission of the Tribunal. 3. The records of the Tribunal’s judicial deliberations shall contain only the title or nature of the subjects or matters discussed and the results of any vote taken. They shall not contain any details of the discussions nor the views expressed, provided however that any judge is entitled to require that a statement made by him be inserted in the records.