Seven judges resigned
On December 17, 2024, the HCJ decided to dismiss Sviachena Yuliia Borysivna from the office of the judge of the Prymorskyi district court of Odesa due to her submission of application for resignation.
On December 19, 2024, the HCJ decided to dismiss due to the submission of applications for resignation:
- Andriienko Hanna Viacheslavivna – from the office of the judge of the Oktiabrskyi district court of Poltava;
- Feskov Petro Vasyliovych – from the office of the judge of the Mlynivskyi district court of Rivne region;
- Trushyna Olha Ivanivna – from the office of the judge of the Biliaivskyi district court of Odesa region.
On December 24, 2024, the HCJ decided to dismiss due to the submission of applications for resignation:
- Bezsmolyi Yevhenii Borysovych – from the office of the judge of the Leninskyi district court of Kirovohrad;
- Bakhaiev Ihor Makhmudovych – from the office of the judge of the Melitopolskyi city district court of Zaporizhzhia region (seconded to the Ivanychivskyi district court of Volyn region);
- Stoilova Tamila Vasylivna – from the office of the judge of the Krasnoarmiiskyi city court of Donetsk region (seconded to the Inhuletskyi district court of Kryvyi Rih of Dnipropetrovsk region).
During January – November 2024 the HCJ made decisions on dismissal 256 judges
223 judges were dismissed on general grounds, in particular:
- 213 judges were dismissed due to the submission of applications for resignation, including:
- 10 judges of local courts were dismissed due to the submission of applications for dismissal on their own volition.
On special grounds the High Council of Justice dismissed 33 judges, in particular:
- for committing a significant disciplinary offense – 27;
- on the basis of subitem 4 of item 16¹ of Section XV “Transitional Provisions” of the Constitution of Ukraine in accordance with the submissions with the recommendation of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine – 6.
During eleven months of 2024, the HCJ took decisions on making submissions to the President of Ukraine on the appointment of 464 judges to local courts, namely:
- to local general courts — 405 judges;
- to local administrative courts – 31 judges;
- to local commercial courts — 28 judges.
Since the beginning of 2024, 385 judges took the oath to the Ukrainian people and acquired powers.
HCJ approved the Unified indicators for assessing integrity and professional ethics of a judge (candidate for the position of judge)
Law of Ukraine “On making amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges” and certain legal acts of Ukraine regarding improving judicial career procedures” granted the HCJ powers to approve the Unified indicators for assessing integrity and professional ethics of a judge (candidate for the position of judge) after consulting the HQCJU, CJU and the Public integrity council.
The purpose of developing the unified indicators is to introduce common standards for assessing the integrity and professional ethics of judges, which will be used in the performance of the relevant functions of the HCJ, HQCJU, and PIC. The unified indicators will also be actively used by judges in case of appeals against procedures and decisions in courts.
The HCJ decision was made with a separate opinion.
The HCJ considered 221 notifications on interference in the professional activity of judge during January – November, 2024
During eleven months of 2024, the HCJ received 208 notifications on interference in the professional activity of judges regarding administering justice and actions that violate the guarantees of judicial independence or undermine the authority of justice. Considering the previously received notifications, the Council considered 221 notifications from judges since the beginning of the year.
By the results of consideration of 83 notifications on interference in the activity of judges regarding administering justice, 80 decisions were made on taking response measures.
Having considered 138 notifications from judges, the Council made 41 decisions on approval of 120 opinions of HCJ members on the absence of grounds to take measures to ensure judicial independence and the authority of justice.
The HCJ made 4 decisions by its initiative within its powers on taking measures regarding ensuring judicial independence and the authority of justice.
HCJ will make submissions to the President of Ukraine on appointing two judges to local courts
On December 19, 2024, the HCJ decided to make submissions to the President of Ukraine on appointing two judges to positions in local courts, namely:
Slisar Andrii Valeriiovych – for the position of a judge of the Menskyi district court of Chernihiv region;
Protsenko Anna Mykolaivna – for the position of a judge of the Chernihivskyi district court of Zaporizhzhia region.
HCJ suspended judge of the Vyshhorodskyi district court of Kyiv region Olena Skarlat during the qualification assessment
During its session on December 19, 2024, the HCJ decided to temporarily suspend judge of the Vyshhorodskyi district court of Kyiv region Skarlat Olena Ivanivna from administering justice.
The decision was made in accordance with the submission of the HQCJU, which stated that based on the results of the initial qualification assessment, the judge failed to confirm the possibility of administering justice in the relevant court.
HCJ changed territorial jurisdiction of cases of three courts of Donetsk region
The HCJ from January 6, 2025, changed the territorial jurisdiction of cases of three courts of Donetsk region, namely:
- the Velykonovosilkivskyi district court of Donetsk region – by transferring the jurisdiction to the Zhovtovodskyi city court of Dnipropetrovsk region;
- the Druzhkivskyi city court of Donetsk region – by transferring the jurisdiction to the Dovhyntsivskyi district court of Kryvyi Rih;
- the Artemivskyi city district court of Donetsk region – by transferring the jurisdiction to the Zhovtnevyi district court of Kryvyi Rih.
HCJ approved Regulation on the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors
On December 19, 2024, the High Council of Justice decided to approve the Regulation on the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors of the HCJ.
Service of Disciplinary Inspectors of the High Council of Justice starts its work
According to item 236 of Chapter III “Final and transitional provisions” of the Law of Ukraine “On the High Council of Justice” the HCJ informs that December 23, 2024, is determined as the date of starting of work of the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors of the High Council of Justice based on the decision of the High Council of Justice of December 10, 2024 No. 3582/0/15-24.
Judge of the Prymorskyi district court of Odesa Lonskyi Illia Volodymyrovych is temporarily suspended from administering justice based on the decision of the First Disciplinary Chamber of the HCJ
The decision to bring a judge to disciplinary liability and apply a disciplinary penalty to him in the form of submission for dismissal from the office was made by the First Disciplinary Chamber of the HCJ on December 23, 2024.
HCJ Secretariat started an automated distribution of disciplinary complaints against judges among disciplinary inspectors
According to item 238 of Chapter III “Final and transitional provisions” of the Law of Ukraine “On the High Council of Justice” disciplinary proceedings in which the Disciplinary Chamber has not made a decision to initiate a disciplinary case as of the day the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors of the HCJ starts its work, shall be transferred to the disciplinary inspectors determined by the automated case distribution system. Currently, there are about 11 thousand such complaints.
A working meeting aimed at developing effective means of judicial administration was held at the HCJ
An online meeting with experts of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) was held at the HCJ. The experts presented the methodology for conducting trainings for pilot courts and the methodology for developing tools to improve the efficiency and quality of court services. This event was organized to continue the implementation of the agreements between the HCJ and the CEPEJ on cooperation in the development and approval of effective means of court administration, calculation of standards for personnel, financial, logistical and other support of courts.
More details – at the link.
Unified indicators for assessing integrity and professional ethics of a judge (candidate for the position of judge) entered into force
On December 24, 2024, the Unified indicators for assessing integrity and professional ethics of a judge (candidate for the position of judge) enter into force. The document was approved on December 17, 2024, by the HCJ decision No. 3659/0/15-24.
The purpose of developing the unified indicators is to introduce common standards for assessing the integrity and professional ethics of judges, which will be used in the performance of the relevant functions of the HCJ, HQCJU, and PIC. The unified indicators will also be actively used by judges in case of appeals against procedures and decisions in courts.
HCJ approved a public appeal to the CMU on affordable mortgage lending for judicial system employees
On December 24, 2024, the HCJ made a decision On public appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
The HCJ asks the Parliament to consider an issue on making amendments to the Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 856 of August 2, 2022, and include judges, employees of court apparatuses (secretariats), bodies and institutions of the justice system, as well as their family members, in the list of preferential categories of persons who can apply for affordable mortgage lending at a fixed annual rate of 3% in UAH.