Canon 1059

1. In virtue of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff, anyone of the

Christian faithful is free to bring a case at any stage and in

any grade of judgment before the Roman Pontiff; since he is the

supreme judge for the entire Catholic world and he acts either

personally or through tribunals of the Apostolic See or through

judges delegated by him. 2. This recourse made to the Roman

Pontiff, however, does not suspend the exercise of power by a

judge who has already begun to adjudicate the case except in the

case of an appeal; for this reason, the judge can pursue judgment

up to the definitive sentence unless it is evident that the Roman

Pontiff has called the case to himself.