17 October, 2017
The Council for the Judiciary believes that the requirements for judge's professional experience regarding application for a position of a judge at the higher instance court shall not be reduced, and the work experience criterion defined in the Law "On Judicial Power" should be preserved. That is, when applying for a position of a judge of a regional court a total length of service as a judge must be 6 years, for a position of a judge of the Supreme Court – 10 years.
Exceptions are applied to judges having a doctorate degree – they can apply earlier, if they are approved as judges having unlimited term of office, that is, after three years.
The Council of Justice agrees that the master's degree as an exceptional criterion is to be excluded from the law.
Reviewing the planned amendments to the Law “On Judicial Power” regarding the term for which a judge has the right to occupy position in another court (also in a higher instance court) – a position other than the position of a judge – at the Ministry of Justice, the Court Administration, the international court, an international organization, or other institution within a framework of an international project, the Council for the Judiciary calls for a reduction of three-month minimum period for such a transfer as stipulated by law. Whereas, the maximum term of three years shall be reduced to two years, so that this time is equal to the term prescribed by law for the replacement of a judge during his/her absence.
The Council for the Judiciary adopted the decision in the sitting of 16 October 2017 in a written procedure.
Information prepared by
Rasma Zvejniece, the Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court
E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: +371 67020396, +371 28652211