X
  1. Home
  2. Overview of the results of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine in April 2025

Overview of the results of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine in April 2025

02.05.2025

Опис : C:\Users\neshykts\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Word\logo_vkksu.png                   OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS

      OF THE HIGH QUALIFICATION COMMISSION OF JUDGES OF UKRAINE

April 2025

Procedures of the judicial career

Competition to the appellate courts

The examination of 1828 practical assignments on the specialization of general courts of appeal (civil and criminal specializations) was completed. Based on the results of the qualification exam, 706 candidates for the positions of the general courts of appeal judges were admitted to the second stage of the qualification evaluation “Dossier Study and Interview”.

A special vetting process has been initiated in respect of these candidates.

General statistics of the competition to the appellate courts

By specializations

Stage

Administrative

Commercial

Criminal

Civil

TOTAL

Applied with applications

(1 candidate did not choose a specialization)

191

185

912

787

2076

Admitted to the competition and qualification evaluation

173

160

821

687

1841

Successfully passed a test of knowledge in the field of law and in the specialization of the relevant court

132

134

703

619

1588

Successfully passed the cognitive abilities test

105

98

507

410

1120

Successfully completed practical assignment

67

83

451

255

856

 

The Procedure for conducting the first stage of the competition for vacant judicial positions in the general courts of appeal has been approved. The Commission has defined 5 courts to be included in the first group of courts at the first stage of the competition for 83 vacant positions. Applications for participation in the competition to the first-group courts of appeal must be submitted by
May 09, 2025. The Commission will conduct interviews with candidates for the positions of judges of Zhytomyr, Zakarpattia, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy and Chernihiv Courts of Appeal in the second and third quarters of 2025.

[more]

Competition to the local courts

As part of the competition to fill 560 vacant positions of judges in local courts, the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine sent a recommendation to the High Council of Justice to appoint Tetiana Hapieieva as a judge of the Bashtanskyi Raion Court of Mykolayiv Oblast.

[more]

 

Selection for the position of a local court judge

Between March 01 and April 30, 2025,  9267 persons applied for participation in the selection and transfer to the local court.

Intention to choose

Number of candidates/judges

administrative specialization

3394

commercial specialization

2906

general specialization

8645

administrative only

220

administrative and commercial

210

administrative and general

1320

administrative, commercial and general

1644

commercial only

192

commercial and general

860

general only

4821

TOTAL

9267

 

Qualification evaluation for suitability of a judge for his/her position held and in connection with the imposition of a disciplinary sanction

Interviews were conducted with 13 judges:

10 judges were found to be suitable for the positions held:   

  • Oleksandr Haievyi, Ordzhonikidze Town Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast;

  • Nataliia Horobets, Chemerovetskyi Raion Court of Khmelnytskyi Oblast;

  • Ruslana Hukova, Ordzhonikidze Town Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast;

  • Pavlo Hutsal, Liubarskyi Raion Court of Zhytomyr Oblast;

  • Natalia Kuzmenko, Kherson Circuit Administrative Court;

  • Vitalii Martyniuk, Novoaidarskyi Raion Court of Luhansk Oblast;

  • Olena Nevmerzhytska, Korostenskyi City-Raion Court of Zhytomyr Oblast;

  • Iryna Rybalchenko, Krasnohradskyi Raion Court of Kharkiv Oblast;

  • Alla Rybas, Bilozerskyi Raion Court of Kherson Oblast;

  • Hanna  Tymofieieva, Dobropilskyi City-Raion Court of Donetsk Oblast.

3 judges were found to be unsuitable for the positions held:

  • Petro Burda, Petropavlivskyi District Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast;

  • Volodymyr Makarenko, Sviatoshynskyi District Court of Kyiv City;

  • Pavlo Skutelnyk, Commercial Court of Kyiv Oblast.

The qualification evaluation of 9 judges has been terminated:

  • Yaroslava Balan, Odesa Circuit Administrative Court;

  • Alla Buchatska, Saratskyi Raion Court of Odesa Oblast;

  • Pavlo Vovk, Circuit Administrative Court of Kyiv City;

  • Liudmyla Horiachkivska, Umanskyi City-Raion Court of Cherkasy Oblast;

  • Mykola Zaika, Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal;

  • Olesiia Lemak, Uzhhorodskyi City-Raion Court of Transcarpathian Oblast;

  • Aliona  Mazur, Circuit Administrative Court of Kyiv City;

  • Alina Radzivil, Brovarskyi City-Raion Court of Kyiv Oblast;

  • Svitlana Fedorets, Yakymivskyi Raion Court of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The Public Integrity Council has submitted conclusions regarding 16 judges:

  • Petro Burda, Petropavlivskyi District Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast;

  • Vasyl Havryliuk, Cherkasy Circuit Administrative Court;

  • Hanna Hnatyk, Melitopolskyi City-Raion Court of Zaporizhzhia Oblast;

  • Valeriia Koziumenska, Rubizhanskyi Town Court of Luhansk Oblast;

  • Oleksandr Korol, Vinnytsia City Court in Vinnytsia;

  • Oksana Kryvorot, Solomianskyi District Court of Kyiv City;

  • Tetiana Kuskova, Bilovodskyi Raion Court of Luhansk Oblast;

  • Serhii Litvinov, Commercial Court of Odesa Oblast;

  • Yuliia Mamchenko, Rivne Commercial Court of Appeals;

  • Uliana Mirinovych, Ternopil Circuit Administrative Court;

  • Mykola Misechko, Obolonskyi District Court of Kyiv;

  • Roman Mudretskyi, Dnipro Court of Appeal;

  • Serhii Reiti, Transcarpathian Circuit Administrative Court;

  • Anton Sobchuk, Bereznivskyi Raion Court of Rivne Oblast;

  • Serhii Chekhov, Milovskyi Raion Court of Luhansk Oblast;

  • Pavlo Chyr, Borshchivskyi Raion Court of Ternopil Oblast.

The Commission, in plenary composition and based on the consideration of the Public Integrity Council’s conclusions, has recognized 2 judges as suitable for the positions held:

  • Pavlo Hutsal, Liubarskyi Raion Court of Zhytomyr Oblast;

  • Iryna Rybalchenko, Krasnohradskyi Raion Court of Kharkiv Oblast.

Recognized as not suitable for the position held:

  • Volodymyr Makarenko, Sviatoshynskyi District Court of Kyiv City.

 Secondments                                      

Five notifications from the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine on secondments were received.

The Commission considered the issues of secondments of judges:

  • To 16 courts due to excessive judicial workload or impossibility of administration of justice;

  • From 4 courts due to changes in the territorial jurisdiction of court cases.

The Commission also considered the early termination of secondment for judges from 3 courts.

[more] – in Ukrainian

The issue of early termination of judges’ secondments and their simultaneous secondments to 33 courts was considered.

[more] – in Ukrainian

It was recommended that judges be seconded to the following courts:

  • Biliaivskyi Raion Court of Odesa Oblast (1 judge);

  • Boryspilskyi City-Raion Court of Kyiv Oblast (2 judges);

  • Brovarskyi City-Raion Court of Kyiv Oblast (1 judges);

  • Vynohradivskyi Raion Court of Transcarpathian Oblast (1 judge);

  • Vinnytsia City Court of Vinnytsia Oblast (2 judges);

  • Derhachivskyi Raion Court of Kharkiv Oblast (1 judge);

  • Dnipropetrovskyi Raion Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (1 judge);

  • Dubenskyi City Raion Court of Rivne Oblast (1 judge);

  • Zhovtnevyi District Court of Dnipropetrovsk City (1 judge);

  • Zmiivskyi Raion Court of Kharkiv Oblast (1 judge);

  • Kyiv-Sviatoshyn Raion Court of Kyiv Oblast (1 judge);

  • Kyiv District Court of Odesa City (2 judges);

  • Kyiv District Court of Poltava City (1 judge);

  • Kirovskyi District Court of Dnipropetrovsk City (1 judge);

  • Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi Raion Court of Cherkasy Oblast (1 judge);

  • Kryvorizkyi Raion Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (1 judge);

  • Leninskyi District Court of Mykolayiv City (2 judges);

  • Lychakivskyi District Court of Lviv City (1 judge);

  • Makarivskyi Raion Court of Kyiv Oblast (1 judge);

  • Novhorodkivskyi Raion Court of Kirovohrad Oblast (2 judges);

  • Obolonskyi District Court of Kyiv City (1 judge);

  • Ordzhonikidzevskyi District Court of Kharkiv City (1 judge);

  • Perechynskyi Raion Court of Transcarpathian Oblast (1 judge);

  • Pershotravnevyi District Court of Chernivtsi City (1 judge);

  • Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv City (1 judge);

  • Podilskyi District Court of Kyiv City (2 judges);

  • Podilskyi District Court of Poltava City (2 judges);

  • Prymorskyi District Court of Odesa City (1 judge);

  • Sarnenskyi Raion Court of Rivne Oblast (1 judge);

  • Smilianskyi City-Raion Court of Cherkasy Oblast (1 judge);

  • Sokalskyi Raion Court of Lviv Oblast (1 judge);

  • Sofiivskyi Raion Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (1 judge);

  • Storozhynetskyi Raion Court of Chernivtsi Oblast (1 judge);

  • Suvorovskyi District Court of Odesa City (3 judges);

  • Ternopilskyi City-Raion Court of Ternopil Oblast (2 judges);

  • Uzhhorodskyi City-Raion Court of Transcarpathian Oblast  (1 judge);

  • Khmelnytskyi City-Raion Court of Khmelnytskyi Oblast (2 judges);

  • Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Lviv City (1 judge);

  • Shostkynskyi City-Raion Court of Sumy Oblast (1 judge).

Data on the accounting of judges’ positions

Data on creation of 40 new vacant judicial positions have been included to the record:

In local courts – 32:

  • Zhmerynskyi City-Raion Court of Vinnytsia Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Lutskyi City-Raion Court of Volyn Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Babushkinskyy Raion Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Pokrovskyi Raion Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (sub-clause 4 of clause 161 of section XV of the Constitution of Ukraine [1]);

  • Zavodskyi District Court of Dniprodzerzhynsk Town (HCJ’s refusal to submit a motion to appoint a judge for an indefinite term [1]);

  • Pavlohradskyi City-District Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Pershotravensk Town Court in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Korostenskyi City-Raion Court of Zhytomyr Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Luhynskyi Raion Court of Zhytomyr Oblast (sub-clause 4 of clause 161 of section XV of the Constitution of Ukraine [1]);

  • Rakhivskyi Raion Court of Transcarpathian Oblast (paragraph 3 of part six of Article 126 of the Constitution of Ukraine [1]);

  • Khustskyi Raion Court of Transcarpathian Oblast (paragraph 3 of part six of Article 126 of the Constitution of Ukraine [1]);

  • Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Zaporizhzhia City (resignation [1]);

  • Brovarskyi City-Raion Court of Kyiv Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Borodianskyi Raion Court of Kyiv Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Oleksandrivskyi Raion Court of Kirovohrad Oblast (paragraph 3 of part six of Article 126 of the Constitution of Ukraine [1]);

  • Sambirskyi City-Raion Court of Lviv Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Arbuzynskyi Raion Court of Mykolayiv Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Saratskyi Raion Court of Odesa Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi City-Raion Court of Odesa Oblast  (sub-clause 4 of clause 161 of section XV of the Constitution of Ukraine [1]);

  • Leninskyi District Court of Poltava City (judgement [1]);

  • Dzerzhynskyi District Court of Kharkiv City (resignation [1]);

  • Chuhuivskyi Town Court of Kharkiv Oblast  (resignation [1]);

  • Kamianets-Podilskyi City-Raion Court of Khmelnytskyi Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Khmelnytskyi City-Raion Court of Khmelnytskyi Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Zhashkivskyi Raion Court of Cherkasy Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Smilianskyi City-Raion Court of Cherkasy Oblast (sub-clause 4 of clause 161 of section XV of the Constitution of Ukraine [1]);

  • Umanskyi City-Raion Court of Cherkasy Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Dniprovskyi District Court of Kyiv City (resignation [1]);

  • Commercial Court of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast (paragraph 3 of part six of Article 126 of the Constitution of Ukraine [1]);

  • Commercial Court of Mykolayiv Oblast (resignation [1]);

  • Vinnytsia Circuit Administrative Court (voluntary [1]);

  • Ternopil Circuit Administrative Court (resignation [1]);

In appellate courts – 8:

  • Kyiv Court of Appeal (resignation [1], paragraph 3 of part six of Article 126 of the Constitution of Ukraine [2]);

  • Odesa Court of Appeal (death of a judge [1]);

  • Poltava Court of Appeal (resignation [1]);

  • Eastern Commercial Court of Appeal (resignation [1]);

  • Second Administrative Court of Appeal (resignation [1]);

  • Sixth Administrative Court of Appeal (resignation [1]).

Meetings

    1.  meetings were held, of which:

  • in plenary composition – 10;

  • in chamber composition – 10;

  • in Panel composition – 17.

[more] – in Ukrainian

150 decisions of the Commission were adopted, of which:

  • on selection and appointment of judges – 4;

  • on transfer (secondment) of judges – 77;

  • on verification of declarations of family ties and integrity of a judge (candidate for the position of a judge) –  7;

  • on qualification evaluation of judges – 27;

  • on general issues – 35.

[more] – in Ukrainian

Participation in the events

April 02, 2025 – Monthly online meeting with representatives of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) of the European Commission to assess the implementation of Chapters 3 and 4 of Ukraine’s Plan, organized by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.

April 02, 2025 – Coordination meeting to discuss the draft Law amending the Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges” and certain laws of Ukraine regarding the improvement of procedures for submitting and verifying declarations of judicial integrity”, organized by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

April 14, 2025 – Meeting of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Ukraine’s Integration to the European Union.

April 14, 2025 – Presentation of the updated version of the tool “Legal Positions Database 2.0: First Use of Generative AI and Other Key Updates” supported by the EU Project “PRAVO-Justice.”

April 17, 2025 – Meeting chaired by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko to discuss the status of addressing problematic issues and ways to ensure implementation of steps of Ukraine’s Plan in 2025.

April 22, 2025 – Presentation of the book “Linguistic Commentary on the Constitution of Ukraine and Other Normative Acts” organized by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

April 23, 2025 – Expert discussion dedicated to the annual report “Review of Democratic Institutions in Ukraine During the War in 2024” organized by the Democracy Reporting International representative office in Ukraine.

April 23, 2025 – Presentation of the book “English-Ukrainian Legal Dictionary of Complex Terminology” organized by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

April 24, 2025 – Q&A session with members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine (HQCJU) and potential candidates for judicial positions as part of the competition to the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) and the upcoming competition to the HACC as a court of first instance.

April 29, 2025 – Meeting with representatives of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) regarding potential cooperation prospects.

April 30, 2025 – Working meeting based at the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Legal Policy to discuss the draft Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges” regarding the functioning of military courts” and the alternative draft Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges” regarding the establishment and organization of military courts”.

Litigation

The Commission’s interests were represented in 39 hearings of the Supreme Court.

Court decisions upholding the Commission’s position:

      1.  Case No. 990/147/25 – Claim filed by B.Z. Benia challenging the Commission’s decision to deny a recommendation for appointment to the position of judge at the Kharkivskyi Raion Court of Kharkiv Oblast.

      2. Case No. 990/148/24 – Claim filed by T.V. Mykyta appealing the Commission’s decision to deny a recommendation for appointment to the position of judge at the Solomianskyi District Court of Kyiv City.

      3. Case No. 990/341/23 – Claim filed by H.A. Lepekha challenging the decision of the High Council of Justice (HCJ) to dismiss H.A. Lepekha from the position of judge of the Commercial Court of Odesa Oblast based on subparagraph 4, paragraph 16-1 of Section XV “Transitional Provisions” of the Constitution of Ukraine.

      4. Case No. 990/54/24 – Claim filed by O.O. Honcharenko against the Commission seeking to declare unlawful and annul its decisions in part (challenging the Rules of Procedure).

      5. Case No. 990/111/24 – Claim filed by O.V. Malyi challenging the Commission’s decision to deny a recommendation for appointment to the position of judge at the Ternopil City-Raion Court of Ternopil Oblast.

      6. Case No. 990/257/24 – Claim filed by Ye.V. Ablov seeking to declare the inaction of the Commission unlawful, compel it to take certain actions, and annul the Commission’s decision.

By ruling of the Administrative Cassation Court of the Supreme Court in Case No. 990/19/25, filed by O.S. Korkiiainen against the Commission regarding the failure to consider on the merits an information request dated January 05, 2024 (contained in a letter dated January 11, 2024), the claim was left unconsidered.

By judgment of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court in Case No. 990/132/24, filed by
R.I. Yevtsenko challenging the Commission’s decision to deny a recommendation for appointment to the position of judge at the Velykomykhailivskyi Raion Court of Odesa Oblast, the plaintiff’s appeal was dismissed, and the decision of the Administrative Cassation Court of the Supreme Court was upheld.

Document flow

 Documents were processed:

  • 12 237 – incoming documents;

  • 1518  – outgoing documents.

1518 inquiries and appeals were reviewed:

  • 20 lawyer’s requests;

  • 185 requests for information;

  • 96 appeals;

  • 1 217 other inquiries.

Assistance in the implementation of judicial career procedures will be gladly provided, and proposals for improving Commission’s work will be considered!

9, General Shapoval Str., Kyiv, 03110, Ukraine

inbox@vkksu.gov.ua

+38 044 233 63 7

 

To the news feed