The government’s draft law submitted to the Venice Commission for consideration, in addition to a new procedure for forming the HQCJ, also substantially changes the procedures for electing (appointing) members of the High Council of Justice (HCJ). The proposed changes may create new risks for the selection competitions. Telling in itself is the way the… Continue reading New rules bring new risks. What the draft law on the selection of HCJ members changes
The High Qualifications Commission of Judges (HQCJ) is a body that can recommend a person for the position of judge or recommend their dismissal. That is, whoever decides your case, should you suddenly have to go to court, depends on the HQCJ’s assessment. Judges over judges, so to speak. Logically, these people must meet the… Continue reading The government proposes a “broken bicycle” for international experts in the commission selecting HQCJ members
The High Qualifications Commission of Judges (HQCJ) has recommended transferring 6 judges of the liquidated DACK to the Kyiv District Administrative Court (KDAC). All the cases of the liquidated DACK had previously been transferred to the KDAC as well. In other words, the nameplate has changed, but the cases are the same. Disciplinary proceedings are… Continue reading DACK cases and judges can end up in the same court again
The Council of the EU has approved amendments to the Ukraine Facility and the related Ukraine Plan, supplementing it with 27 new reforms. Among them is the adoption of a law that should return independent international experts to the Selection Commission for the selection of members of the High Qualifications Commission of Judges (HQCJ). This… Continue reading EU Council makes the reinstatement of international experts to the selection of HQCJ members a new condition of the Ukraine Facility
Who ends up on the Selection Commission will determine the future composition of the HQCJ — and therefore, who will go on to select and assess Ukrainian judges. On July 21, the Council of Judges of Ukraine (CoJ) announced an additional round of selection of candidates to the Selection Commission, which will carry out the… Continue reading Who will select the future members of the HQCJ, and why judicial reform will be at risk without international experts
On 14 July, the Ethics Council found five candidates for the High Council of Justice to meet the criteria of professional ethics and integrity. They are Iryna Davydovych, Oleksandr Zhytnyi, Lesia Muzyka, Ivan Nazarov, and Tetiana Tsuvina. Five candidates were found not to meet the criteria. They are Pavlo Hultai, Mykola Kucheriavenko, Yaroslav Melnyk, Raisa… Continue reading Ethics Council recommends candidates for the High Council of Justice
Judges of the District Administrative Court of Kyiv (DACK) have collectively received over UAH 242 million in judicial remuneration in the three and a half years since the court’s liquidation. On 18 June, the Supreme Court upheld the High Council of Justice’s decision to dismiss former DACK chairman Pavlo Vovk from his judicial position. But… Continue reading 242 million for inaction: DACK judges are still receiving money from the budget
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is a key actor in defending the Basic Law and an important part of the system of checks and balances. A politically dependent or dysfunctional Constitutional Court (the Court/CCU) can create serious risks to the balance of power and the rule of law. The Court’s capacity to operate stably, independently,… Continue reading NGOs call on the President and the Verkhovna Rada to urgently fill vacancies in the Constitutional Court of Ukraine
On July 6, 2026, the Advisory Group of Experts (AGE) held a ranked vote on 9 candidates for two vacant positions of judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine under the quota of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and formed its final ranked list. Based on the results of the vote by AGE members, the… Continue reading Competition for the CCU under the Parliament’s quota: AGE has formed the ranked list of candidates
Judge Serhii Vovk, through an interim measure, has banned investigators from Slidstvo.Info and the Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC) from publishing material about the property of the brother of the director of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). The court’s decision came on July 6 — precisely when Slidstvo.Info and AntAC were preparing to publish an… Continue reading The Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv is obstructing the work of journalists
Draft Law No. 15374 has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada. It is intended to prevent the High Council of Justice’s work from grinding to a halt in the spring of 2027 and to make judges’ disciplinary liability more effective and predictable. The adoption of this draft law is one of Ukraine’s commitments to the… Continue reading A draft law has been registered in the Rada to make judges’ disciplinary liability more effective
Bohdan Sanin — a judge whose name became a symbol of unlawful bans during the Revolution of Dignity and of corruption scandals — is finally one step away from official dismissal. On June 22, 2026, the First Disciplinary Chamber of the High Council of Justice (HCJ) finally decided to hold Bohdan Sanin disciplinarily liable. A… Continue reading Judge Bohdan Sanin of DACK suspended from duty and referred for dismissal
