Mission
Implementation of the rule of law by establishing a uniform and stable practice of law application.
Vision
The Senate – a guarantor of the rule of law and developer of legal thought in Latvia.
Values
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Justice
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Independence
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Professionalism and quality
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Society and the individual
Priority areas of activity
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Promotion of uniform and stable judicial practice and development of case law
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Ensuring effective and fair cassation proceedings
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Improving the efficiency of internal processes and resources
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Cooperation, dialogue and building public trust
Priority 1
Promotion of uniform and stable judicial practice and development of case law
Key activities
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expanding the availability of the Senate’s case law;
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promoting discussions among senators and developing a uniform interpretation of legal norms and their application;
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fostering cooperation among the Senate’s departments in researching and resolving legal issues;
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building dialogue with courts of appeal and courts of first instance, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and the European Court of Human Rights.
Priority 2
Ensuring effective and fair cassation proceedings
Key activities
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defining and implementing uniform working principles across all departments, taking into account the specific nature of legal proceedings;
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introducing and maintaining a uniform control system for case examination deadlines;
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forming judicial panels and distributing cases, making full use of the advantages of specialisation;
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promoting the specialisation of senators’ assistants and counsels;
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regularly analysing the effectiveness of cassation proceedings, discussing and evaluating statistical indicators, and introducing improvements based on the results of data analysis;
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reviewing and updating the procedure for preparing Senate rulings;
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analysing the practical application of the guidelines for preparing cassation complaints and promoting the guidelines within the court system and among the public;
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developing, in cooperation with the Judicial Academy, a long-term professional development programme for senators and employees, including new competences;
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analysing the role of persons belonging to the judicial system in cassation proceedings and developing proposals for improvement thereof.
Priority 3
Improving the efficiency of internal processes and resources
Key activities
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developing human resources policy, thus promoting professional growth and motivation (managerial role, competency framework, mentoring programme);
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upholding the effective use of technological solutions, as well as identifying, evaluating and implementing new solutions, including artificial intelligence technologies, and ensuring their safe and high-quality use;
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ensuring the security of information and technological resources through cybersecurity management in accordance with regulatory requirements;
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creating and maintaining an internal digital knowledge (experience) exchange platform, ensuring the availability of examples of good practice, methodologies and discussions;
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developing clear role and process descriptions for the roles of senator's assistant and counsel, as well as for employees of the Chancery and the Division of Case-law and Research at each stage of court proceedings – from receiving a case by the court to drafting, reviewing and publishing a ruling.
Priority 4
Cooperation, dialogue and building public trust
Key activities
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promoting dialogue and cooperation with constitutional bodies in the implementation of the rule of law;
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promoting dialogue and cooperation with law faculties of universities;
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cooperating with the Ministry of Justice in improving the work of the working group on the development of laws and regulations;
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organising open and proactive communication by the Supreme Court;
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organising public education and informative events, especially for youth;
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participating in international projects and experience exchanges with the supreme courts of other countries.
Full Strategy is available here.