24. maijs, 2023.
Delegation of the Supreme Court of Latvia and colleagues of the Supreme Court of Portugal
President of the Supreme Court Aigars Strupišs and Vice President of the Supreme Court of Portugal Maria dos Prazeres Beleza
Meeting at the Supreme Administrative Court of Portugal
Meeting at the Justice Administration of Portugal
Meeting at the High Judicial Council of Portugal
In 2014, a significant judicial reform took place in Portugal, thus reducing the number of courts in the country, as well as reviewing the organizational issues of the justice system. In the international assessment, the Portuguese judicial system has shown constant improvements according various indicators in recent years, for example, it has found solutions to reduce the backlog of cases, to shorten the duration of legal proceedings, and to introduce digital tools.
In order to get acquainted with the solutions in the justice system and the operation of the Portuguese supreme courts, a delegation of the Supreme Court of Latvia is visiting Portuguese judicial institutions.
Aigars Strupišs, the President of the Supreme Court of Latvia, met with Maria dos Prazeres Beleza, the Vice-President of the Supreme Court of Portugal (Supremo Tribunal de Justiça), met with representatives of the High Judicial Council (Conselho Superior da Magistratura), and he also participated in the presentation of the Justice Administration on the activities of the judicial system, its development and employee training issues. The Supreme Court delegation also visited the Supreme Administrative Court (Supremo Tribunal Administrativo) and the Judicial Studies Centre for judges and prosecutors (Centro de Estudos Judiciarios).
Essential attention was paid to practical issues of court functioning, such as selection of judges, monitoring of the quality of judges' work, selection and training of court employees, operation of e-case management system, workload of judges, monitoring and harmonization of workload.
Quality assurance of judicial activities requires good cooperation both at the level of the material base and in matters of personnel resources. The Portuguese colleagues are now working together in matters of previously separated competences between the Ministry of Justice (Justice Administration) and the High Judicial Council with an aim of achieving a coherent development of the justice system.
Information prepared by
Anita Zikmane, Head of the Division of Case-law and Research of the Supreme Court
More information: Division of Communication: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone +371 67020396
