וּבָאתָ֗ אֶל־הַכֹּהֲנִים֙ הַלְוִיִּ֔ם וְאֶ֨ל־הַשֹּׁפֵ֔ט אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִהְיֶ֖ה בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֑ם וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֙ וְהִגִּ֣ידוּ לְךָ֔ אֵ֖ת דְּבַ֥ר הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃
and appear before the levitical priests, or the magistrate in charge at the time, and present your problem. When they have announced to you the verdict in the case,
Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin / Sifrei.
אל הכהנים הלוים. אע״פ שאין שם לוים כשרים.
English: To the levitical priests — even if there are no qualified Levites present.
The title “levitical priests” does not make the presence of Levites indispensable for the court’s validity.
Derash on the verse (Bavli / Sifrei) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The phrase is read as a title rather than a strict membership requirement.
A court remains valid even if no Levite is currently sitting on it.