Pavels Gruzins, the Head of the Division of Case-Law has received the highest award of the Supreme Court – the title of the Person of the Year and Themis Award.

Pavels Gruzins terminated execution of his duties of judge in 2011 after 32 years of work in this post (24 of them – in the Supreme Court). However, he didn’t leave the Supreme Court. Taking into account his great work experience, he was invited to manage the Division of Case-Law. In 2011, the Saeima according to proposal of the Board of Justice has given to the ex-Chair of the Department of Criminal Cases of the Senate and the ex-deputy of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court the title of the Honorary Judge.

While nominating Pavels Gruzins for the title of the Person of the Year of the Supreme Court, his colleagues admitted that he deserved the Themis Award for desire to be useful, to be in line: Pavels Gruzins started to execute his new duties creatively and with great energy. However, the award has been given to him for life-work, as he is a person who devoted all his life to judiciary and made a great contribution in development of criminal law. Judges and employees characterize Pavels Gruzins as always polite, knowing and responsive colleague, responsible, well-read, wise person and gentleman.

Having evaluated contribution of judges and employees in work and life of the Supreme Court in general, as well as mutual responsiveness and social activity, three more traditional Themis Awards were given. These are the Judge of the Year, the Assistant to the Judge of the Year and the Employee of the Year.

Veronika Krumina, the Chair of the Department of Administrative Cases of the Senate received the title of the Judge of the Year in 2011, Natalja Avreicevica, the assistant to the Chair of the Chamber of Criminal Cases received the title of the Assistant to the Judge of the Year and Elina Majore, the Head of the Chancery of the Senate received the title of the Employee of the year.

Themis Awards have been given in the Supreme Court every year since 2005. The winner is chosen in closed vote in two rounds. In the first round every judge and employee can register people, who deserve these titles. In the second round vote has been organised for three candidates, who polled the most votes.

Previously, the title of the Person of the Year of the Supreme Court was given to ex-senators Rolands Krauze, Imants Fridrihsons and Roberts Guntis Namatevs, Ivars Bickovics, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Andris Gulans the ex-Chief Justice, as well as Gunars Aigars, the Chair of the Chamber of Civil Cases and Peteris Dzalbe, the Chair of the Department of Criminal Cases of the Senate.
 

 

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