Kristina Trykhlib

Judicial reform in Ukraine: a new Supreme Court

The article analyzes key aspects of the judicial reform in Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the formation of a new Supreme Court of Ukraine. Thus, numerous changes to the existing national legislation were made and new legal acts were adopted in order to establish new institutions, requirements, and specified regulations for conducting a transparent contest for judicial appointments, in accordance with international and the European legal standards.

It should be noted that the reform of the judiciary system of Ukraine is systemic and aims, inter alia, to ensure the effective functioning of independent and impartial court proceedings, and to guarantee a person the right to a fair trial, which is one of the main requirements for the rule of law and is an integral part of democratic law-governed state.

The article analyzes the procedure of formation and functioning of the High Council of Justice and the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, which are directly involved in the „creation” of the judicial corps.

A comprehensive analysis of the contest for judicial appointments for the new Supreme Court, which began in 2016 and lasted 9 months, is carried out. As a result of the contest, 118 new judges were appointed. In addition, the role and functions of the newly created institution – Public Council of Integrity, which should support the High Qualification Commission of Judges in determining whether the judge (or candidate for a position of the judge) meets the criteria of professional ethics and integrity, are determined. The status of a judge, legislative guarantees of judicial activity and the obligation of a judge to complete and file three electronic declarations: the asset declaration, the statement of the integrity of the judge, and the declaration of family ties, are also examined.