Supreme Council of Justice

The Supreme Council of Justice of Ukraine advises on the appointment or release of certain judges, examines the cases of infringements, and executes disciplinary proceedings involving judges of the Supreme Court of Ukraine[5] and other high specialized courts.

There are total of 21 members.[6] The term of membership in the council is four years.[6] It is forbidden to be a member of the council for two tenures in a row.[6]

The appointees include:[6]

• ex officio the Chairman of the Supreme Court of Ukraine
• 10 appointees of the Congress of Judges of Ukraine
• 2 appointees of the Verkhovna Rada
• 2 appointees of the President of Ukraine
• 2 appointees of the Congress of Advocates of Ukraine
• 2 appointees of the Congress of representative from law schools and scientific institutions
• 2 appointees of the All-Ukrainian Conference of Employees of Procurocy (Prosecutors)

Membership requirements are:[6]

• citizenship of Ukraine
• older than 35 years
• higher judicial education
• practicing of law no less than 15 years
• she or he must be politically neutral

Ineligible for membership are:[6]

• elected government officials
• members of political parties
• individuals who work for political parties or for other organizations with political goals or that takes part in political activities
• individuals who take part in the organization or funding of political campaigns and other (political) activities

Official materials of the council is published in the Bulletin of the Supreme Court of Ukraine and in special cases in "Holos Ukrainy" and "Uryadovyi kurier".

In 2017 it replaced the High Council of Justice (“Вища рада юстицїї”).[6][7][2] The same year the competence to appoint and to remove judges was transferred from the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) to the Supreme Council of Justice.[2][8]

The council was established on March 31, 1998 with the first session of it. The first chairman of the council became Valeri Yevdokimov.[9] Its revamped 2017 version was established in January 2017.[7]

In 2021, the Ethics Council was legally defined by law No. 1635-IX, "On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine concerning the procedure for selection (appointment) to the positions of members of the High Council of Justice and the activities of disciplinary inspectors of the High Council of Justice".[3] In November 2021, the composition of the Ethics Council was set, with three Ukrainian members, Supreme Court judge Lev Kyshakevych, Kyiv Court of Appeal judge Yuriy Tryasun, and retired judge Volodymyr Siverin; and three international members, British retired judge Anthony Hooper, United States retired judge Robert J. Cordy and former Estonian prosecutor-general Lavly Perling.[10][11] In June 2022, the Council started confirming, appointing and refusing members of the Supreme Council of Justice. Anti-corruption organisations including AutoMaidan objected to the Council's decisions.[4][11]

• March 31, 1998 - May 25, 2001—Valeri Yevdokimov, end of term
• May 25, 2001 - March 10, 2004—Serhiy Kivalov, becoming Head of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine
• March 10, 2004 - January 13, 2006—Mykola Shelest, becoming judge of the Supreme Court of Ukraine
• January 13, 2006 - March 28, 2007 -- (acting) Lidiya Izovitova
• March 28, 2007 - March 22, 2010—Lidiya Izovitova, end of term
• March 22, 2010 - ????—Volodymyr Kolesnychenko
• ???? - present—Ihor Benedysiuk[1]

• Judiciary of Ukraine

• Official web-site of the Supreme Council of Justice of Ukraine