By decision of the Judicial Council, one senatorial post of the Senate’s Department of Civil Cases is transferred to the Department of Criminal Cases. Thus, from April 16, there will be 14 senators in the Department of Civil Cases, 10 senators in the Department of Criminal Cases, and 11 senators in the Department of Administrative Cases.

The redistribution of senatorial posts was carried out upon the proposal of the Supreme Court, taking into account the statistical indicators of the Senate’s departments. At the Department of Criminal Cases, there are several large-scale criminal cases, the examination of which will affect the Department's ability to review other cases in a timely manner in the long term. Moreover, it is expected that previously examined large-scale cases (“digital TV case”, “Zolitūde tragedy case”) will be repeatedly challenged in the cassation instance, as well as other large-scale and legally complex criminal cases currently being examined in courts of appellate instance or first instance will also be received for examination in the cassation instance. In order to balance the workload and ensure the examination of criminal cases within a reasonable timeframe, the number of senatorial posts in the Department of Criminal Cases has been increased by one post.

Whereas, there will be one vacant senatorial post in the Department of Civil Cases when one of the senators retires on April 15. Statistical indicators of the Department of Civil Cases show that the Department would currently be able to work successfully if composed of 14 senators.

According to the law “On Judicial Power”, the total number of judges in the Senate is determined by the Saeima (parliament) upon the proposal of the Judicial Council, and it is currently 36 judges. Whereas, the number of senators in the departments is determined by the Judicial Council upon the proposal of the President of the Supreme Court.

 

Information prepared by

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

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