On Friday, May 22, Aivars Uminskis, Chair of the Senate Department of Criminal Cases, Senator Māris Leja, and Legal Research Counsel Ivars Čivčišs went to Liepāja to meet with judges and staff of the Kurzeme Regional Court.

During the meeting, the regional court judges addressed several issues of current interest, including the rights of the affected property owner  where that owner had not appealed the decision, the limits of the court’s jurisdiction in assessing the compensation claimed, and the application of the latest case law following the delivery of a summary judgment. The discussion also addressed legal issues of current relevance to the Senate, including the confidentiality of court deliberations and the calculation of a driver’s driving experience period in a case where the driver’s licence had been revoked and the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the senators and the judges of the Kurzeme Regional Court acknowledged that such meetings provide an opportunity for more comprehensive discussion and resolution of legal issues. They also contribute to greater consistency in judicial practice across both levels of the judiciary and help reduce the number of overturned rulings.

Annual meetings with lower court judges are a tradition maintained by the Senate Department of Criminal Cases aimed to strengthen judicial dialogue.

 

Baiba Kataja, Communication specialist of the Supreme Court

Telephone: +371 67020396; e-mail: baiba.kataja@at.gov.lv