*/
Senior judges in England and Wales have condemned the Polish authorities for interfering with judicial independence.
The Judges’ Council of England and Wales joined European colleagues at the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary, which had issued a press release expressing ‘grave concern’ about developments taking place in Poland and their impact on judicial independence.
The concern is over proposed legislation from the Polish government that would allow for the dismissal of the presidents and a substantial number of judges of the Supreme Court, as well as all presidents and vice-presidents of common courts by the executive, and the setting up of disciplinary chambers consisting of peoples’ representatives in the Supreme Court.
The Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union has also drawn attention to the situation.
It voiced disquiet over ‘interventions by Polish authorities, including calling into question the constitutionality of the appointment of the first president of the Supreme Court of Poland and the envisaged reform of the National Council of the Judiciary’ which it said ‘appears to indicate a threat to the independence of the Supreme Court as well as the Polish judiciary as a whole’.
The network warned that the interference will undermine the rule of law and mutual trust in the administration of justice.
Meanwhile, barristers from England and Wales met Polish advocates in Warsaw to exchange experiences in conducting cross-border criminal and family cases at an English-Polish Law Day.
Senior judges in England and Wales have condemned the Polish authorities for interfering with judicial independence.
The Judges’ Council of England and Wales joined European colleagues at the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary, which had issued a press release expressing ‘grave concern’ about developments taking place in Poland and their impact on judicial independence.
The concern is over proposed legislation from the Polish government that would allow for the dismissal of the presidents and a substantial number of judges of the Supreme Court, as well as all presidents and vice-presidents of common courts by the executive, and the setting up of disciplinary chambers consisting of peoples’ representatives in the Supreme Court.
The Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union has also drawn attention to the situation.
It voiced disquiet over ‘interventions by Polish authorities, including calling into question the constitutionality of the appointment of the first president of the Supreme Court of Poland and the envisaged reform of the National Council of the Judiciary’ which it said ‘appears to indicate a threat to the independence of the Supreme Court as well as the Polish judiciary as a whole’.
The network warned that the interference will undermine the rule of law and mutual trust in the administration of justice.
Meanwhile, barristers from England and Wales met Polish advocates in Warsaw to exchange experiences in conducting cross-border criminal and family cases at an English-Polish Law Day.
Signs of real change – more work to be done
Philip N Bristow explains how to unlock your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step
With the property market witnessing significant changes since the beginning of the pandemic, Fleet Street Wealth’s Managing Director Julian Morgan considers the future of the home, the second home and the office
In partnership with the Bar Council, LexisNexis is offering up to 60% off its extensive webinar offering.
Chambers is expanding its team.
Making a move from the Bar to a career in governance: Maria Brookes outlines three good reasons to switch and how to do it
The family law system is in crisis and a failure to recognise it as such demeans the Herculean efforts of all involved, writes Celestine Greenwood, an exhausted family practitioner
Time to look afresh at the imposter syndrome narrative? Why pathologizing normal anxieties can be unhelpful to barristers and future generations. By Kate Brunner QC and Sarah Regan
Cultural change is actually just a numbers game joining the dots and wearing the pin.Chris Gutteridge's lessons learnt...
The pandemic and widespread introduction of remote hearings has been an interesting start to a career at the Bar: Lola-Rose Avery shares a day in her life
Bridging the Bar (BTB) is opening up the Bar to people from non-traditional backgrounds. BTB mentor, Laurence Cooper and his mentee, Jake Acock chat about the mentoring scheme
