1. HCJ tries to facilitate dialogue between lawyers and judges
This was emphasized by the Acting Chairman of the High Council of Justice Oleksii Malovatskyi during the expert meeting with representatives of regional Project “Strengthening the profession of lawyer in line with European standards”, devoted to the discussion of professional standards of interaction between lawyers and judges in courts.
According to Oleksii Malovatskyi, one of the factors that negatively influence the professional relations between lawyers and judges, is inadequate funding of the judiciary.
“Currently, the HCJ makes every effort to prepare the Regulation on the Integrated judicial information and telecommunication system. The launch of IJITS’ modules will reduce the costs of the judiciary, in particular for sending of postal correspondence”, – noted Oleksii Malovatskyi.
Within the cooperation of the Council with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, it is planned to solve an issue on the possibility of informing participants of judicial proceedings about the hearings through the mobile application “Diia”, which, according to Oleksii Malovatskyi, will also help to establish more effective interaction between judges and lawyers.
To find common solutions the Council also initiated the format of national discussion, holding of joint events and discussions with the participation of representatives of the legal community. In particular, five large-scale events were organized, in which participated judges, candidates to positions of judges, lawyers, scholars, deputies, prosecutors, international experts, participants of judicial proceedings, etc.
2. Work for determining the salary scheme for court staff is underway
During the regular meeting of a working group on ensuring adequate funding for the judiciary in Ukraine, formed in the Verkhovna Rada Committee on legal policy, member of the High Council of Justice Oleh Prudivus noted that the development of a draft law on making amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges” in order to determine the scheme of salaries of employees of courts and judicial authorities is underway. Relevant developments have already been agreed upon with the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine and the Council of Judges of Ukraine, and are being agreed with the Supreme Court.
“The draft law proposes to determine the minimum salary of an employee of the apparatus of the court of the first instance in the ratio of up to 20% of the salary of a judge of the first instance. The amount of the employee's salary should consist of the basic fixed salary and the bonus as the real stimulating lever established by the legislation”, – noted Oleh Prudivus.
3. HCJ seconded a judge for administering justice to the Western appellate commercial court
The HCJ, on July 27, 2021, decided to second for administering justice judge of the Lviv appellate commercial court Marko Roman Ivanovych to the Western appellate commercial court from July 28, 2021, for the term of one year.
The decision on the beginning of the procedure of secondment of judges to the mentioned court, the High Council of Justice made on June 17, 2021.
4. HCJ dismissed judge of the Dniprovskyi district court of Dniprodzerzhynsk of Dnipropetrovsk region
On July 27, 2021, the HCJ decided to dismiss, due to submission of application for resignation, Baibara Hryhorii Antonovych – from the position of the judge of the Dniprovskyi district court of Dniprodzerzhynsk of Dnipropetrovsk region.
The High Council of Justice published the draft Regulation on the procedure of functioning of separate subsystems of the Integrated judicial information and telecommunication system.
It is possible to get acquainted with the draft Regulation on IJITS on the HCJ’s website in the “Activity” section – “IJITS” or by the link: bit.ly/3i8nemU
After finalizing amends and comments, the Standing Commission of the High Council of Justice on the preparation of the annual report on ensuring judicial independence in Ukraine on July 28, 2021, approved the draft Annual report for 2020 “On ensuring judicial independence in Ukraine” and decided to submit for consideration of the High Council of Justice an issue regarding its approval.
The document covers a wide range of issues, connected with ensuring the authority of justice and judicial independence in Ukraine, in particular regarding the state of the regulatory and legal provision in the field of justice and compliance with guarantees of judges' independence, taking measures by the High Council of Justice to ensure the independence of judges and the authority of justice, ways to strengthen the independence of judges, as well as proposals of judicial self-governance bodies, other bodies and institutions of the justice system, public associations.
The High Council of Justice, according to the decision of July 29, 2021, No. 1721/0/15-21 extended the term of granting judges’ consent for seconding to the Koziatynskyi city district court of Vinnytsia region till August 9, 2021.
Judges who expressed the wish to be seconded to the mentioned court must submit to the High Council of Justice necessary documents till August 9, 2021. The list of such documents is here.