HCJ resigned seven judges
On March 26, 2024, the HCJ took decision to dismiss due to submission of application for resignation:
- Myronets-Melnychuk Olena Konstiantynivna – from the office of judge of the Kyivskyi district court of Poltava;
- Kushtan Borys Petrovych – from the office of judge of the Zakarpattia Court of Appeal;
- Kishkina Iryna Viktorivna – from the office of judge of the Donetskyi Court of Appeal (seconded to the Dniprovskyi Court of Appeal);
- Kulykov Andrii Volodymyrovych – from the office of judge of the Dnipropetrovskyi circuit administrative court;
- Karaputa Lina Volodymyrivna – from the office of judge of the Desnianskyi district court of Chernihiv.
- Raziuk Halyna Pavlivna – from the office of judge of the South-Western economic court of appeal;
- Prasolov Volodymyr Mykolaiovych – from the office of judge of the Saksahanskyi district court of Kryvyi Rih of Dnipropetrovsk region.
On March 27, 2024, the Second Disciplinary Chamber of the HCJ decided to bring Svitlana Kozina, a judge of the Rzhyshchevskyi local court of Kyiv region, to disciplinary responsibility and impose a disciplinary sanction in the form of submission for dismissal.
HCJ will make submissions to the President of Ukraine on appointment of five judges to local courts
On March 28, 2024 the HCJ took decision on making submissions to the President of Ukraine on appointment of judges to local courts:
Slaston Anna Olehivna – to the position of judge of the Dnipropetrovskyi circut administrative court;
Khudenko Andrii Antonovych – to the position of judge of the Economic Court of Appeal of Zakarpatiia region;
Cherevata Veronika Ivanivna – to the position of judge of the Artsyzskyi district court of Odesa region;
Kushnir Hanna Viktorivna – to the position of judge of the Khersonskyi local court of Kherson region;
Omelnyk Maryna Mykolaivna – to the position of judge of the Kharkivskyi district court of Kharkiv region.
HCJ postponed the resumption of work of the Bilozerskyi district court of Kherson region
Following the security situation in the Kherson region, on 28 March 2024, the HCJ decided to postpone the resumption of the work of the Bilozerskyi district court of Kherson Region until 1 June 2024.
The Khersonskyi local court of Kherson region will continue to consider cases submitted to this court until 31 May 2024 inclusive.
It is necessary to develop a vision of the future of the judiciary now
This was noted by the Chairman of the HCJ Hryhorii Usyk during the event “Discussions on Contemporary Challenges Before the Judiciary: Building Institutional Capacity in the Conditions of War and the Post-War Period”.
Hryhorii Usyk recalled that in 2023 the HCJ was granted observer status to the European Network of the Councils for the Judiciary.
“This is an extremely important decision towards the integration of Ukraine into the European Union. Gaining this status provided a unique opportunity to establish direct contacts with representatives of more than twenty councils of justice in the EU countries and candidate countries for the EU membership. We have the opportunity to study European experience and share our own experience across the whole range of issues related to the activities of the judiciary in order to increase the efficiency of its work and ensure human rights in Ukraine,” said the head of the Council.
He also drew attention to the need to renew the network of courts.
“Approving the renewed network of courts will make it possible to clearly determine the quantitative composition of the courts and their specialization, which will optimize the workload of judges,” noted Hryhorii Usyk.
HCJ submitted to the President of Ukraine 55 motions on appointment of judges
Judiciary of Ukraine has implemented two of seven recommendations as part of the negotiation process towards full membership of the European Union. In particular: in January 2023, the authorized composition of the HCJ was formed; on June 1, 2023, the HCJ appointed the authorized composition of the HQCJU. Thus, the work of the key bodies for the formation of the corps of judges was unblocked.
During the event “Discussions on Contemporary Challenges Before the Judiciary: Building Institutional Capacity in the Conditions of War and the Post-War Period”, the HCJ Chairman Hryhorii Usyk, pointed out the personnel crisis in the apparatus of courts, which is directly related to the inadequate level of remuneration for employees of the apparatus of local courts and courts of appeal, which leads to the loss of professional specialists, staff turnover and the difficulties in filling vacant positions, respectively, and understaffing of the court apparatus.
More details at the link.
This was stated by the Chairman of the HCJ Hryhorii Usyk during the event “Discussions on Contemporary Challenges Before the Judiciary: Building Institutional Capacity in the Conditions of War and the Post-War Period”.
Since the restoration of the powers of the HCJ, 44 petitions have been received from the Prosecutor General`s Office on the temporary suspension (28) and extension of the term of temporary suspension of (16) judges from the administration of justice in connection with the prosecution of them. The HCJ took 26 decisions to satisfy and 13 decisions partially satisfy these petitions.
The HCJ also took 16 decisions to give consent for taking a judge into custody;
More details at the link.
During the first panel discussion, held on March 29, 2024, at the initiative of the HCJ and with the support of EU Project Pravo-Justice, participants discussed a general vision for the development of the judicial system in the context of European integration. In particular, heads and representatives of judicial governance and self-government bodies, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Legal Policy, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, discussed the problems of the judiciary in war conditions and ways to overcome those, establishing dialogue between the branches of government and legislative support for the development of the judiciary, as well as development of the judicial system of Ukraine, the introduction of a new network of courts, the resumption of the administration of justice in the de-occupied territories of Ukraine, etc.
More details at the link.
This was emphasized by the speakers of the second panel “Judicial career: overcoming the personnel crisis” during the event “Discussions on Contemporary Challenges Before the Judiciary: Building Institutional Capacity in the Conditions of War and the Post-War Period”.
More details at the link.
The topic “Disciplinary responsibility of judges and prosecutors: ensuring stability and unity of practice” was discussed in the third panel of the discussion within the framework of the event, which was held at the initiative of the HCJ and with the support of EU Project Pravo-Justice.
Heads and representatives of judicial governance and self-government bodies, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on Legal Policy, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, experts of international projects and public organizations, in particular, discussed the issues of creating the Service of Disciplinary Inspectors, minimizing risks to the authority of justice through manifestations of negative behaviour judges or prosecutors, priority for consideration of disciplinary complaints, etc.
More details at the link.