8 May, 2012
Commission on Judicial Ethics will be elected in electronic conference
Judicial conference, in which new Commission on Judicial Ethics will be elected, will take place on the 24th of May. Saving budget funds allocated to courts, it was decided to organise conference extramurally, using information technologies.
The Board of Justice made amendments to Regulation of Judicial Conference on the 7th of May, stating that conference may also be organised in electronic form (e-conference) and e-conference may elect institutions of judicial self-government in secret electronic voting. Regulation of Commission on Judicial Ethics is also amended providing an opportunity to nominate and elect members of Commission on Judicial Ethics in electronic elections.
Plan of organisation and procedure of judicial e-conference approved by the Council of Justice provides that judges should nominate candidates for Commission on Judicial Ethics between May 18 and 21. Candidates may be questioned in electronic form on the 22nd of May. Individual codes and passwords will be sent to and drawn in lots in courts and departments of Land Register on the 23rd of May.
On the 24th of May as from 9.00 o’clock until 13.00 o’clock elections of Commission on Judicial Ethics will take place. If some of candidates nominated will get equal number of votes, re-election on concrete list will take place from 14.00 o’clock until 16.00 o’clock. Counting committee will check individual codes and summarise results later. Results approved will be sent to judges in electronic form.
Judicial e-conference was organised and technically provided by the Court Administration. According to calculation performed by the administration, economy of budget funds, when organising e-conference instead of regular conference, make LVL 10 000 approximately.
Re-appointment of managers of courts and departments of Land Register in posts is supported
The Board of Justice supports re-appointment of Silva Reinholde in the post of a Chairwoman of Kurzeme regional court for the term of five years and re-appointment of Visvaldis Sprudzans in the post of vice-Chairman of Zemgale regional court and the Chairman of Judicial Panel of Criminal Cases for the term of five years.
The Board of Justice also supports appointment of Valdis Muiznieks for the post of the Chairman of Jekabpils district court, appointment of Evita Sietniece for the post of the head of department of Land Register of Aizkraukle district court and appointment of Anda Niedola for the post of the head of department of Land Register of Ventspils court. All these candidates have been re-nominated and their term of office, pursuant to the law “On Judicial Power” will be five years.
Issues on judicial careers
The Board of Justice supports appointment of Gvido Ungurs, the judge of Riga city Ziemelu district court and executer of duties of a judge of Riga regional court and Zanete Zimante, judge of Riga district court and executer of duties of a judge of Riga regional court, in the post of a judge of Riga regional court. Being appointed for the post of a judge of regional court by the Saeima, Gvido Ungurs and Zanete Zimante are instructed to execute duties of a judge in Riga regional court.
The Board of Justice agrees to transfer Inese Punte, the judge of the department of Land Registers of Ogre district court to the post of a judge in Ogre district court.
Report of the Court Administration for year 2011 is heard
According to competence established in the law “On Judicial Power”, the Council of Justice heard report of Court Administration on results of work in 2011.
Edvins Balsevics, director of Court Administration, in his report pointed out perfection of information technologies and systems, operation of public unified computerised Land Register, complements of Court Information System, creation of Executive Register, personnel management, material and technical means allocated to courts, legal support and public purchases, as well as project management.
Problematic issues pointed out by director are security in court institutions, remuneration of court employees and provision of premises for operation of courts.
Priority of Court Administration for year 2012 will be commissioning of Court information System Data Distribution System that will provide an opportunity to publish anonymized court rulings. Creation of electronic archive of public unified computerised Land Register, commissioning of court rooms tooled up with audio-recording and video-conference equipment, providing functionality of Register of Executive Cases, as well as provision of court data security will be another priorities for year 2012.
Information prepared by
Rasma Zvejniece, the Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court
E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 67020396, 28652211