judicial power is invested in the prince, who delegates judicial procedures to the various courts, which dispense justice in his name. the independence of the judges is guaranteed by the constitution. the supreme court of monaco is composed of five chief members and two assistant judges named by the prince on the basis of nominations by the national council and other government bodies. the supreme court is the highest court for judicial appeals and also interprets the constitution when necessary. monaco's legal system, closely related to that of france, is patterned after the napoleonic code.