On Monday, the 2nd of May, judges of the Supreme Court will elect the deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Chair of the Department of Criminal Cases, the member of the Disciplinary Court and the member of the Central Election Commission.

After leave of Pavels Gruzins, the long-term Chair of the Department of Criminal Cases of the Senate, from the post of the senator on the 1st of April, the new Chair of the Department should be elected in the plenary session.

It has been stated in the Part Two of the Article 44 of the Law “ON Judicial Power” that Chairs of Departments of the Senate and Chambers are elected in the plenary session of the Supreme Court. The term of office of Chairs of Departments of the Senate and Chambers is five years.

Pavels Gruzins, being elected repeatedly, has been the deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court since 1990. New deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court must be elected in the plenary session among Chairs of Departments and Chambers.  Gunars Aigars, the Chair of the Chamber of Civil Cases, is the second deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, re-elected in 2009.  

The Article 50 of the Law “On Judicial Power” states that two deputies Chief Justice of the Supreme Court have been elected in the plenary session for the term of seven years among Chairs of Departments and Chambers, observing principle of equal representation of genders.

The composition of the plenary session must also elect the member of the Disciplinary Court, as the senator Normunds Salenieks, who was elected for this post while creating the Disciplinary Court in 2010, transferred to the Department of Civil Cases of the Senate.

The Article 21 of the Judicial Disciplinary Responsibility Law states that the Disciplinary Court consists of six senators of the Senate of the Supreme Court (each Department has been represented by two senators) being elected in the plenary session of the Supreme Court for the term of five years. The Disciplinary Court has been called to evaluate rule of law of decisions of the Judicial Disciplinary Committee.

The plenary session of the Supreme Court has to re-elect representative of judges in Central Election Commission. Since 2009 these duties have been discharged by Peteris Dzalbe, the senator of the Department of Criminal Cases of the Senate.

The Article 1 of the law “On Central Election Commission” states that the Saeima forms Central Election Commission as a permanently functioning public institution not later than in 6 months since the Saeima has been called. According to the Article 2 of the law, the CEC consists of eight members elected by the Saeima and one member elected among judges in the plenary session of the Supreme Court.

It has been planned that in the beginning of the session judges will adopt Regulations of the Plenary Session of the Supreme Court in its new wording. Regulations regulate operation of the plenary session; establish its competence, procedure of calling, preparation, vote and other issues.  Previous regulations of the plenary session of the Supreme Court were adopted in 2006.

 

The plenary session will take place in the Supreme Court, in room 146. The beginning of the session is at 2.00 p.m.  

Journalists must apply for passes in the Division of Communication, telephone 67020396.

 

Information prepared by

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

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