Irmgard Griss

Irmgard Griss
President of the Supreme Court of Justice
In office 1 January 2007 – 1 January 2011
Preceded by	Johann Rzeszut
Succeeded by	Eckart Ratz
Personal details
Born	13 October 1946 Deutschlandsberg, Austria
Political party	Independent
Alma mater	University of Graz Harvard University
Religion	Roman Catholic

Irmgard Griss (also Irmgard Griss-Reiterer,^[1] born 13 October 1946 in Deutschlandsberg, Styria) is an Austrian lawyer, judge, and former president of the Austrian Supreme Court. She registered as an independent candidate at the Austrian presidential election, 2016.

Irmgard Griss graduated in 1965 from the trade academy in Graz, and obtained in 1970 the title of dr. juris at the University of Graz.^[2] From 1971 to 1975 she was research assistant at the university, while she completed a Master of Laws at Harvard Law School. Griss was in 1978 lawyer in Vienna and from 1979 to 1980 a judge at the county court for commercial matters in Vienna, and from 1981 to 1987 a judge at the trade court in Vienna. From 1987 to 1992 she was a judge at the Court of Appeal (Oberlandesgericht) in Vienna and from 1993 a judge at the Austrian Supreme Court. She was in the period from 2007 to 2011 the Supreme Court president.

Irmgard Griss has been a guest professor at the University of Graz, and from May 2013, a brokerage in consumer affairs. She was in January a judge at the Singapore International Commercial Court.

Irmgard Griss has from 2008 been deputy judge at the Constitutional Court of Austria, nominated by the National Council.

Griss declared her candidacy at the Austrian presidential election, 2016 on 17 December 2015. She presented her candidacy to the Freedom Party of Austria and NEOS, but both declined to endorse her.^[3] NEOS said they would support Griss and any other independent candidates indirectly, and voiced their concerns over the strong partisan politicization of the presidential office and the election campaign.^[4] NEOS leader Matthias Strolz stated on 9 February 2016 that NEOS might also support Alexander Van der Bellen, voicing his preference for a run-off election between Griss and Van der Bellen.^[5]

References

1. "ÖAW Mitglieder Detail". www.oeaw.ac.at. Retrieved 2016-04-11.
2. "vfgh - Verfassungsrichterinnen und Verfassungsrichter - Ersatzmitglieder - Irmgard GRISS". www.vfgh.gv.at. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
3. 100.000 Euro: Erste Großspende für Griss' Kampagne Der Standard, 18 December 2015 (German)
4. NEOS begrüßen Griss Kandidatur zur Bundespräsidentin “außerordentlich” Vienna Online, 18 December 2015
5. "Neos wollen Griss und Van der Bellen unterstützen". Nachrichten.at. 2015-01-02. Retrieved 2016-04-05.