ACCUMULATION OF CASES OF THE SUPREME COURT HAS DECREASED BY 37%

Already for a second year there is a positive tendency – the significant decrease in accumulation of cases of the Supreme Court. At the beginning of 2015 there were 3,949 cases pending, yet at the beginning of 2017 there were 1,849 cases pending, which is 2.1 times less.

• The number of cases received does not fall. In 2016 the Supreme Court received 3,562 cases, which is 46 cases less than the previous year. The decrease is related to termination of work of the Chamber of Civil Cases. The number of cases received by the Departments of the Supreme Court has increased by 101 cases.
• The number of examined cases has increased. In 2015 the Supreme Court examined 60% of received cases, but last year this number was 71%. The cassation instance examined 1,027 cases, which is 451 cases more than in 2015.
• The balance of cases has decreased. Compared to the previous year, the balance of cases has decreased by 37%. At the beginning of 2016 there were 2,955 cases pending at the Supreme Court, at the end of the year – 1,849 cases.

The Department of Civil Cases reviewed 465 cases or 25% of cases more than in 2015 and accumulation of cases fell by 42%. Although the number of cases received in 2016 has increased by 219 cases, the Department managed to examine 71% of cases pending.
The Department of Criminal Cases keeps examining the highest percentage of cases - 85% of the cases pending. All key indicators - the number of cases received (754), the number of cases examined (755) and cases pending (132) - are relatively the same as the previous year.
The number of cases received by theDepartment of Administrative Cases has decreased by 9%, though also the number of examined cases has decreased – by 3%. The Department has examined 57% of cases pending, and the backlog of cases has increased by 89 cases or 13%.
The Chamber of Civil Cases examined 312 cases last year, while 203 cases were transferred to another court. 

Summary of the performance of the Supreme Court 2016

More about the Plenary Session of 3 March:

• Essentials of the work of the Supreme Court in 2016: the reform and decrease in accumulation of cases in the Department of Civil Cases
• Suggestion to strenghten the role of departments in selection of candidates for office of judge of the Supreme Court
• President of the State: Confidence in professional and fair judicial system of Latvia must be strenghtened 
• Judge Inguna Radzevica is re-elected to the Disciplinary Court

Information prepared by

Rasma Zvejniece, the Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: +371 67020396, +371 28652211