D.C. He is not licensed to practice law and has no civil authority, but his rulings are in many ways more meaningful to those involved than any passed in a court. It is a sacred thing to them, and that makes it a sacred thing to me. The majority of his work is devoted to matrimonial law, primarily granting official Church recognition to interfaith marriages and annulling unions that allow subsequent marriages to be recognized. Others require the tribunal to hear testimony and weigh the facts of the case, very much like in a civil trial. Campbell says the tribunal gives petitioners every opportunity to get a favorable ruling.
All negative judgments receive automatic appeals.
Campbell, in residence at Mission San Diego, says his caseload has been steadily rising since he became vicar in 1982. Although that increase can in part be attributed to more marriages ending in divorce, Campbell says it also indicates something more positive. More people are taking their faith more seriously. I've been deeply touched by so many people and their desire to be one with the Church. Our clients can realize their dreams of owning new homes, and enforcement inspectors are no longer free to run roughshod over the rights of Hispanic people in our community.