Proceedings with Respect to Reproach for a Flagrant Violation of the Law by a Competent Court: Commentary on the Decision of the Supreme Court of 28 August 2019 (II KO 56/19, OSNKW 2019, no. 10, item 58)

Abstract

In the commented judgement, the Supreme Court stated that an appeal against a decision reproaching a competent court for flagrant violation of the law while hearing a criminal case (Article 40 § 2a and 2b of the Law on the common court system) is heard by the Supreme Court in the Criminal Chamber in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure on appeals. Commencement of the procedure laid down in Article 40 § 1 of the Law on the Common Court System is subject to the time limit set on the date of rendering a decision on an appeal, and its termination should take place immediately after the receipt of explanations or the expiry of the deadline for submitting them, in either case by issuing a decision on reproaching for a violation. The appellate court should issue its decision both when it finds the violation took place and when it resigns to do so. This commentary approves such an attitude, developing arguments to support it. On the other hand, the opposite view was criticized, based on the claim that initiation of the procedure for reproach for violation is also admissible after the final ruling has been issued. Having analysed the issue of reproach for violation of the law from the systemic point of view, the author postulates to unify Article 97 § 1 of the Act on the Supreme Court with Article 40 § 2a of the Law on the Common Court System and to introduce an appeal against a ruling of the Supreme Court heard within so called horizontal instance.