Cairo (CNN) -- President Mohamed Morsy will meet Monday with members of Egypt's highest judicial body, which has slammed his recent decree slashing judges' authority as an "unprecedented attack," state news reports.
The Supreme Judicial Council has criticized the edict from Morsy, issued last Thursday, that among other things stated courts cannot overturn any decision or law he has issued since taking office in June or over the next six months, until a new constitution is finalized.
Morsy's office said Sunday that his decree is aimed at "preserving the impartiality of the judiciary ... to avoid politicizing it."
Some judges have voiced support for the move. For example, the nongovernmental group Judges for Egypt has denounced calls for a strike, according to state-run Nile TV.
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But another judicial group, the general assembly of the Egypt Judges Club, has called for just such a nationwide strike in all courts and prosecution offices, according to state TV. Judges in Alexandria and Damanhour already have said they are putting court hearings on hold until further notice.
And the Supreme Judicial Council, which oversees all matters related to the judiciary and judges, expressed its "dismay" last Saturday over Morsy's decision, according to the state news agency MENA.
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"(The council) is calling on the president of the republic to distance himself from all matters related to the judicial branch and its agencies," the MENA report said.
Morsy's office explained that last week's edict, which included firing Egypt's prosecutor general, was "deemed necessary in order to hold accountable those responsible for the corruption as well as other crimes during the previous regime and the transitional period."
Yet these explanations, as well as claims by the president that his new powers are only "temporary," have done little to quell the furor of those who now call Morsy a dictator.
One of his advisers, Farouk Guweida, resigned in objection to the decree, presidential adviser Esam El Erian said Sunday. Two days earlier, another presidential adviser -- Samir Morcos, a Coptic Christian -- also quit, state media reported.
"There is no room for compromise. If he wants a dialogue, he has to rescind these measures," said Mohammed ElBaradei, a Nobel laureate and head of Egypt's Constitution Party, who ran against Morsy for president.
Discord is rife in Egypt as thousands have taken to the streets in recent days to decry what they call an undemocratic power grab by Morsy, who is the North African nation's first president since longtime leader Hosni Mubarak was ousted amid a popular uprising.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which has become Egypt's leading political force after being banned under Mubarak, has rallied in support of its former leader, as have many allied conservatives.
"The president's ... recent constitutional declaration fulfill(s) many revolutionary goals demanded by all political, social and popular groups that participated in the January 25 revolution -- for freedom, dignity and social justice," the group's Freedom and Justice Party said in a statement.
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Tarek El-Sehari, a Salafist and deputy chairman of Egypt's upper house of parliament, the Shura Council, called the decree a necessity since Mubarak-appointed judges and prosecutors haven't adequately punished members of the former regime, have protected groups like those drafting the constitution and "have indulged in thuggery and hooliganism," state-run Ahram Online reported Sunday.
Yet even within the Freedom and Justice Party for Morsy, there are dissenters. Ahmed Fahmi, the Shura Council chairman who is related to Morsy, late last week criticized the decision. He said it should have been decided in a national referendum and said it "severely divided the nation into Islamists and civilians," according to the same report.
Late last week, protesters overran the Alexandria base of the Muslim Brotherhood's political wing and set it on fire, said Ahmed Sobea, a spokesman for the Freedom and Justice Party.
And overnight Saturday, others tried to attack the group's offices in the northern city of Damanhour, Egypt's Interior Ministry said Sunday. Injuries were reported as the movement's supporters fought back, the ministry said.
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A 15-year-old member of Muslim Brotherhood's youth arm died after being hit on the head with a club yielded by one of dozens of men who attacked the office, said Sobea, the party spokesman.
In addition to Damanhour and Alexandria, party offices in Mansoura, Suez and Cairo have been "damaged and ransacked" in recent days, said Sobea. The Freedom and Justice party holds "the Interior Ministry accountable" for the teen's death and generally for failing to do more to protect its offices, the spokesman added.
There have been many other cases of protesters clashing with security forces, including some Sunday in Cairo, state-run Nile TV reported.
Since Thursday, at least 261 people have been injured in clashes in the Egyptian capital and elsewhere, according to EGYNews, which cited the Health Ministry but didn't break down who was hurt.
Interior Ministry spokesman Alaa Mahmoud said 128 police officers have been injured in clashes nationwide.
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Meanwhile, thousands of other demonstrators have expressed their views without violence -- including by vowing to occupy Cairo's Tahrir Square, as was the case leading up to Mubarak's exit, until Morsy reverses course. By Monday morning, the landmark roundabout was filled, the number of white tents and demonstrators rising steadily over recent days.
"Mubarak, with all his arrogance and dictatorial tendencies, never gave himself the power that no one can appeal his decisions," protester Mohamed Abdul Wahab said, blasting Morsy for giving himself "the powers of a new pharaoh."
The two sides are even dueling when it comes to protests. The Muslim Brotherhood has announced a "million man" demonstration in support of Morsy at Cairo's Abdeen Square on Tuesday, the same day the opposition is planning a major protest.
The division has already taken its toll on Egypt's economy, with the country's stock market closing almost 10% lower Sunday at the end of the trading day, the market's first since Morsy's power consolidation.
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CNN's Salma Abdelaziz, Reza Sayah, Amir Ahmed and journalist Mohamed Fadel Fahmy contributed to this report.
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Protesters chant slogans during a demonstration at the Presidential Palace on December 18 in Cairo.
An Egyptian woman types on her laptop before the start of a demonstration opposing President Mohamed Morsy on December 18 in Cairo.
People make their way through a market place on Monday, December 17, in Cairo.
A supporter of Egypt's President Mohamed Morsy and the Muslim Brotherhood holds Quran as he shouts during a demonstration in Cairo on Friday, December 14.
Women pray during a demonstration in support of President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo on December 14.
Egyptian army tanks are deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on Thursday, December 13. Egypt's crisis showed no sign of easing as the army delayed unity talks meant to ease political divisions and the opposition set near-impossible demands for taking part in a looming constitutional referendum.
Girls walk with Egypt's national flag draped over their backs to a rally for supporters of President Mohamed Morsy in Cairo on Tuesday, December 11.
Protesters on December 11 attempt to bring down cement walls that security forces placed around the presidential palace in Cairo.
Security forces stand guard in front of the presidential palace in Cairo on December 11.
Protesters opposed to Egypt's president demonstrate on top of a barricade erected by the Egyptian army to protect the presidential palace in Cairo on December 11.
A young protester climbs atop a barricade erected by the Egyptian army on December 11. There were no incidents of violence and soldiers held the line as a couple of hundred protesters pressed up against waist-high crowd barriers.
Protesters remove part of a metal barrier protecting the presidential palace on December 11.
Egyptian army troops stand guard in front of a metal barricade on December 11.
An Egyptian army soldier patrols outside the Egyptian presidential palace on Monday, December 10, in Cairo. The Egyptian political crisis erupted last month when President Mohamed Morsy issued an edict allowing himself to run the country unchecked until the drafting of a new constitution.
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Guy Fawkes masks are displayed by a street vendor in front of the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo on December 9. The masks depict Fawkes, a rebel executed in England's Gunpowder Plot seeking to blow up the House of Lords in the early 1600s.
Egyptian army engineers and soldiers build a third line of concrete blocks outside of the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo in preparation for more protests on December 9.
An Egyptian protester sweeps the street near army tanks deployed outside the presidential palace in Cairo on December 8, after continued protests overnight.
A sticker depicting Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy reads "leave" on the ground near the presidential palace on December 8.
Egyptian soldiers take position on a road leading to the presidential palace on December 8.
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Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy and members of the Muslim Brotherhood shout during the funerals of fellow Morsy supporters at Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo on December 7.
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Riot police form a line as anti-Morsy protesters surge around the Muslim Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo on December 6.
An anti-Morsy protester shouts during a march to the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on December 6.
Protesters are blocked from approaching the the presidential palace by the Egyptian army on December 6 in Cairo.
Egyptian soldiers stand outside the presidential palace in Cairo after setting up barbed wire barricades on December 6.
Supporters of Morsy clash with anti-Morsy protesters outside the Egyptian presidential palace on Wednesday, December 5, in Cairo.
Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsy supporters destroy tents of anti-Morsy protesters outside the presidential palace on December 5.
Morsy supporters carry an injured man to safety during clashes with anti-Morsy demonstrators on a road leading to the Egyptian presidential palace on December 5.
Members of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporters of Morsy clash with anti-Morsy demonstrators on a road leading to the Egyptian presidential palace on December 5.
Egyptian riot police stand behind barbwire as thousands of Egyptian demonstrators march to the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, December 4.
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An Egyptian woman waves a national flag as demonstrators march to the presidential palace in Cairo on December 4.
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Supporters of Morsy pray outside the Supreme Constitutional Court on December 2.
A man kisses a portrait of Morsy during a gathering of thousands of Islamists in front of Cairo University on Saturday, December 1.
Thousands pray during a rally in support of Morsy in front of Cairo University on December 1.
An Egyptian man delivers a speech as protesters gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday, November 30.
A man shouts as protesters gather in Tahrir Square on November 30.
A man holds a copy of the Quran and a cross in Tahrir Square on November 30.
Protesters run from Egyptian riot police during clashes near Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday, November 28.
A protester carries a rock during clashes with police on Wednesday.
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An Egyptian protester holds up a Quran and a figure of Christ on the cross during Tuesday's demonstration.
Protesters continue to rally in Tahrir Square on Tuesday.
An Egyptian protester attempts to throw back a tear gas canister on Tuesday during clashes with riot police in Omar Makram Street, off Tahrir Square.
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Thousands of activists attend the funeral of Gaber Salah on Monday.
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Egyptian protesters hurl stones at police at Tahrir Square on Sunday.
Protesters gather at sit-in tents in Tahrir Square on Sunday.
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy waves to supporters in front of the presidential palace in Cairo on Friday, November 23. Thousands of ecstatic supporters gathered outside the presidential palace to defend their leader against accusations from rival protesters that he has become a dictator.
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Protesters demonstrating against Morsy run from tear gas fired by Egyptian riot police during clashes in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday.
Egyptian protesters throw rocks toward riot police on Friday
Egyptian supporters and opponents of Morsy clash in the coastal city of Alexandria on Friday.
A man throws a rock during clashes in Alexandria on Friday.
Thousands of demonstrators march through the streets of Cairo to protest against Morsy on Friday.
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