16 February, 2016
The Council for the Judiciary considers that in order to promote implementation of the advocates’ process in adjudication of civil cases, more extensive discussions and more weighted analysis are necessary, observing Latvian circumstances; however, the Council has not yet decided on support to this concept.
The Ministry of Justice, together with the Council of Sworn Advocates, has presented to the Council for the Judiciary the conceptual report on implementation of advocates’ process in particular categories of civil cases. Persons directing the concept point out that this process would facilitate efficiency of work of courts, not by restricting an appeal, but improving the quality thereof. Currently, the requirement on compulsory involvement of the sworn advocates concerns representation in cassation instance, but promoted concept envisages referral thereof also to lower instances. Several options of expansions of advocates’ process have been discussed, in particular, whether it would refer to appellate instance or the first instance; whether it would refer only to preparation of documents, or representation in the court; which categories of cases it would refer to, etc.
The Council for the Judiciary, having pointed out that there was not enough time to discuss submitted report with judges, refrained from adoption of the decision on conceptual support to promotion of the process. Persons directing the concept were invited to include arguments expressed in the sitting of the Council for the Judiciary in the report and to come back to this issue in following sittings of the Council for the Judiciary.
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