Church attorney

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A church attorney (Latin: Promotor iustitiae , actually attorney for justice ) is called up in disputes and criminal proceedings in canon law of the Roman Catholic Church . According to the law ( Codex Iuris Canonici of 1430, CIC) he has to represent the public good. He enjoys full access to the files and must be heard before the ecclesiastical court. This legal office is of importance u. a. in the beatification and canonization process , in which the attorney has to argue against canonization . Until the reform of the procedure in 1983, the church attorney held the title of Promotor fidei ('Advocate of the Faith').

The Latin term advocatus diaboli ('advocate of the devil') is used colloquially for this office. His opponent, who argued for canonization, was referred to analogously as Advocatus angeli ('advocate of the angel') or Advocatus Dei ('advocate of God').

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