CURRENT STATUS AND TRENDS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL REGULATION OF JUDICIAL INDEMNITY IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
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Published:
Oct 17, 2024
Abstract
The subject of the study is a scientific analysis of the current state and trends of constitutional and legal regulation of judicial indemnity in European countries. The methodology of the research consists of a combination of general and special scientific methods chosen with regard to the purpose and subject of the study: dialectical, analytical and synthetic, systemic and structural, legal and dogmatic, legal interpretation and comparative legal methods. The purpose of the study is to reveal the peculiarities of the constitutional and legal regulation of judicial compensation on the example of modern European countries. The results of the study prove that there are both common and specific features in the constitutional and legal regulation of judicial indemnity in modern European countries. Conclusions. Judicial indemnity is an important element of constitutional and legal regulation of the status of judges in European countries. It is not absolute and is characterized by a number of legal limitations. For the most part, in the context of constitutional and legal regulation in European countries, it is not the institution of judicial indemnity, but rather the right to express one's own opinion and the absence of responsibility for such expression, more or less limited by legal norms. Depending on the way in which the provisions on judicial immunity are anchored in the system of constitutional and legal regulation of different European countries, the following main models can be conditionally distinguished: 1) Constitutional-centric: a model in which national constitutions contain some initial, defining, albeit relatively few specific legal provisions on judicial immunity, which are developed in special laws and acts on judicial ethics and court decisions; 2) legislative: a model in which, in the absence of direct constitutional regulation, the main emphasis is placed on special laws on the judiciary and/or on the status of judges, the provisions of which are detailed in acts of judicial ethics; 3) judicial or judicial-centered: a model in which the provisions of legal acts do not contain direct legal regulation of judicial indemnity, and its principles are established in acts of the judiciary.
How to Cite
Demchenko, S. (2024). CURRENT STATUS AND TRENDS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL REGULATION OF JUDICIAL INDEMNITY IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. Baltic Journal of Legal and Social Sciences, (3), 32-42. https://doi.org/10.30525/2592-8813-2024-3-4
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Keywords
judicial indemnity, freedom of expression, constitutional and legal regulation, judiciary, status of a judge, European Union, the concept of «cooling effect»
References
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48. Khavroniuk M.I. Criminal liability for the issuance of an unjust judgment by a judge: international standards, legislation of Ukraine and other European countries. Scientific notes of NaUKMA. Legal Sciences. 2019. Т. 4. P. 83–95. (in Ukrainian).
49. Cheesman, Samantha Joy and Badó, Attila. Judicial Reforms and Challenges in Central and Eastern Europe' (2023). 14(2). International Journal for Court Administration. Р. 2–28.
50. Judiciary Act. Available at: https://www.vsrh.hr/CustomPages/Static/HRV/Files/Legislation__Judiciary-Act_Law-on-Courts_1994.pdf. (visited June 20, 2024).
2. Affaire Di Giovanni c. Italie (Requête no. 51160/06). Available at: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-122174%22]}. (visited June 20, 2024).
3. Albania Constitution. Available at: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx-?pdffile=CDL-REF(2016)064-e. (visited June 20, 2024).
4. Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct of May 19, 2006: approved by the UN Economic and Social Council Resolution 27.07.2006 N 2006/23. Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_j67#Text. (visited June 20, 2024).
5. Barnich K.I., Bysaha Y.M., Berch V.V., Deshko L.M., Fridmansky R.M.. Realization of the Constitutional Right to Freedom of Thought and Speech, to Freedom of Expression of One's Views and Beliefs: a monograph. Uzhhorod: RIK-U, 2021. 220 p. (in Ukrainian).
6. Brennan W. J. In defense of dissent. Hastings Law Journal, n. 37/1986, 427–438. 7. CCJE Opinion No. 8 (2006) to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the role of judges in the protection of the rule of law and human rights in the context of the fight against terrorism. Documents of the Consultative Council of European Judges: [official publication] / compiled by A.O. Kavakin. A.O. Kavakin. 3rd ed. Kyiv : Ratio Decidendi Publishing House, 2020. 940 p. (in Ukrainian).
8. CCJE Opinion No. 25 of December 2, 2022 on freedom of expression of judges. Available at: https://supreme.court.gov.ua/userfiles/media/new_folder_for_uploads/supreme/rizne/OPINION_No_25_UK_final.pdf. (visited June 20, 2024). (in Ukrainian).
9. Wille v Liechtenstein. ECtHR October 28, 1999, No. 28396/95. Available at: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-58338%22]}. (visited June 20, 2024).
10. Gdanskii N. On the issue of bringing a judge to the issue of bringing a judge to justice for a court decision he/she has made. Bulletin of Lviv Polytechnic National University. Series: «Legal Sciences». 2023. Issue 4 (40). P. 272–282.
11. Dissenting opinions in the Supreme Courts of the Member States. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201304/20130423ATT64963/20130423ATT64963EN.pdf.(visited 20 June 2024).
12. European Charter on the Status of Judges. Available at: https://court.gov.ua/userfiles/05.pdf (accessed June 20, 2024).
13. Case of Tuleya v. Poland (Applications nos. 21181/19 and 51751/20). Available at: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-225672%22]}. (visited June 20, 2024).
14. Code of Ethical Conduct for Bulgarian Judges. Available at: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-REF(2024)004-e. (visited June 20, 2024).
15. Code of Ethics for Judges of the Republic of Lithuania. Available at: https://www.teismai.lt/data/public/uploads/2022/12/d1_praktikos-vadovas.pdf (accessed June 20, 2024).
16. Code of Ethics for Judicial Officers. Available at: https://judiciary.mt/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Code-of-Ethics-Judiciary-2010-1.pdf (accessed June 20, 2024).
17. Code of Judicial Ethics. Available at: https://www.venice.coe.int/files/un_social_media/cro.pdf (accessed June 20, 2024).
18. Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of November 4, 1950: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_004#Text (accessed June 20, 2024). (Constitution of the Portuguese Republic).
19. Constitution of the Portuguese Republic. Access mode: https://www.parlamento.pt/sites/EN/Parliament/Documents/Constitution7th.pdf. (accessed June 20, 2024).
20. Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. Access mode: https://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/europe/am/constitution%20of%20the%20republic%20of%20armenia.pdf (accessed June 20, 2024).
21. Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria. Available at: https://constitutionnet.org/sites/default/files/Bulgaria%20Constitution.pdf (accessed June 20, 2024).
22. Constitution of the Republic of Croatia (consolidated text). Available at: https://www.sabor.hr/en/constitution-republic-croatia-consolidated-text. (accessed June 20, 2024).
23. Constitution of the Republic of Montenegro. Available at: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL(2005)096-e. (accessed June 20, 2024).
24. Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia. Available at: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL(2000)059-e. (accessed June 20, 2024).
25. The Constitution of Ukraine of 28.06.1996. Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrayiny (VVR), 1996, No. 30, p. 141.
26. Kravchuk V.M. Theoretical foundations of the constitutional and legal status of judges in Ukraine: Doctor of Laws degree: 12.00.02 – constitutional law; municipal law. State Higher Educational Institution «Uzhhorod National University». Uzhhorod, 2020. 507 p. (in Ukrainian).
27. Churosh P. Attack or Reform: Systemic interference in the judiciary in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. OCATI Social and Legal Series. Vol. 13, Issue 2 (2023), 626–658.
28. German Judiciary Act as published on April 19, 1972 (Federal Law Gazette I, p. 713), as last amended by Article 4 of the Act of June 25, 2021 (Federal Law Gazette I, p. 2154). Available at: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_drig/englisch_drig.html. (visited June 20, 2024).
29. L'Heureux-Dubé C. The dissenting opinion: voice of the future? Oosgode Hall Law Journal, n. 38/2000, 495–516.
30. Law no. 303/2004. On the Statute of Judges and Prosecutors. Available at: https://zbornik.pf.uns.ac.rs/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/doi_10.5937-zrpfns57-41810.pdf. (visited June 20, 2024).
31. Law on Status of Judge. No. 544-XIII of 07.20.95. Available at: https://www.lawyer-moldova.com/2013/05/law-on-status-of-judge.html. (visited June 20, 2024).
32. Milinković I.M. Freedom of Expression of Judges in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Collection of the Council of the Faculty of Law in Novi Sad, 1/2023. Р. 327-350.
33. Miroslava Todorova v. Bulgaria. Available at: https://globalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu/cases/miroslava-todorova-v-bulgaria/. (visited June 20, 2024).
34. Dissenting opinion of the Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Melnyk M.I. on the Decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in the case on the constitutional petition of 49 people's deputies of Ukraine on the compliance of paragraph 7 of part two of Article 42 of the Law of Ukraine «On Higher Education» with the Constitution of Ukraine (constitutionality). Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/na02d710-17#Text. (visited June 20, 2024).
35. Dissenting opinion of Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine H. Yurovska on the Decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in the case on the constitutional petition of 55 MPs of Ukraine on the compliance of the provisions of Article 375 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine with the Constitution of Ukraine (constitutionality). Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/nc07d710-20#n2.(visited June 20, 2024).
36. Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary: Approved by General Assembly resolutions 40/32 and 40/146 of November 29 and December 13, 1985. Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_201#Text. (visited June 20, 2024).
37. Opinion no. 3 of the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) to the attention of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the principles and rules governing judges' professional conduct, in particular ethics, incompatible behavior and impartiality. Strasbourg, November 19, 2002. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/16807475bb. (visited June 20, 2024).
38. Pech L. The Concept of Chilling Effect: Its Untapped Potential to Better Protect Democracy, the Rule of Law, and Fundamental Rights in the EU' (Open Society Foundations, 2021). Available at: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/publications/the-concept-of-chilling-effect (visited June 20, 2024).
39. On Amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine (regarding the strategic course of the state for Ukraine's full membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization): Law of Ukraine of 7.02.2019. 2019. № 9. Art. 50 (in Ukrainian).
40. Report on the Freedom of Expression of Judges: Adopted by the Venice Commission, a its 103rd Plenary Session (Venice, June 19-20, 2015). Available at: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-AD(2015)018-e. (visited June 20, 2024).
41. Judgment in the case of Baka V. Hungary (Application no. 20261/12) of 23.06.2016. Available at: https://rm.coe.int/16806b51c7. (visited June 20, 2024).
42. Rosales C.M., Vargas O.R. Freedom of Expression of Judges' Communication Freedom of Expression of Judges' Communication. Regional Law Rev. 9 (2022). Р. 48–70.
43. Savchyn M. Basic principles of constitutional tradition in Ukraine. Historical and Legal Journal. 2014. № 2(4). P. 34-40 (in Ukrainian).
44. Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights as a source of constitutional law of Ukraine. Actual problems of national jurisprudence. 2019. № 5. P. 19–23. (in Ukrainian).
45. Immunity of judges and their responsibility in Ukraine. International scientific journal «Internauka». Series: «Legal Sciences». 2021. № 2. Available at: https://www.inter-nauka.com/uploads/public/16127986453034.pdf. (visited June 20, 2024).
46. Strategy for the development of the justice system and constitutional justice for 2021–2023: approved by the Decree of the President of Ukraine of June 11, 2021, No. 231/2021. Uriadovyi Kurier. 15.06.2021. No. 113. (in Ukrainian).
47. The Code of Judicial Conduct. Available at: https://birosag.hu/en/code-judicial-conduct.
48. Khavroniuk M.I. Criminal liability for the issuance of an unjust judgment by a judge: international standards, legislation of Ukraine and other European countries. Scientific notes of NaUKMA. Legal Sciences. 2019. Т. 4. P. 83–95. (in Ukrainian).
49. Cheesman, Samantha Joy and Badó, Attila. Judicial Reforms and Challenges in Central and Eastern Europe' (2023). 14(2). International Journal for Court Administration. Р. 2–28.
50. Judiciary Act. Available at: https://www.vsrh.hr/CustomPages/Static/HRV/Files/Legislation__Judiciary-Act_Law-on-Courts_1994.pdf. (visited June 20, 2024).