Strong and independent Constitutional Court is an indispensable element in the development of Latvia as a democratic state governed by the rule of law. The Constitutional Court, being the guardian of the Satversme, defends the fundamental values and freedoms of all individuals in Latvia.
The judicial power protects justice as one of the fundamental values of a state governed by the rule of law and acts in society’s interests. (The Constitutional Court’s Judgement of 12 November 2015 in Case No. 2015-06-01, Para 11.1.)
The Constitutional Court’s task is to ensure, in line with its competence, the existence of such legal system, in which, as fully and comprehensibly as possible, a regulation that is incompatible with the Satversme or legal norms (acts) of higher legal force would be eliminated, as well as to provide its assessment on constitutionally important matters. (The Constitutional Court’s Judgement of 7 April 2009 in Case No. 2008-35-01, Para 11.2.)
The Preamble to the Satversme provides that the State of Latvia was established to ensure freedom and promote welfare of the people of Latvia and each individual. Thus, one of the State’s tasks is to promote the welfare of Latvia’s society. To this end, democratic state order has been created in Latvia. The most effective exercise of human rights and freedoms is possible in the conditions of democracy. (The Constitutional Court’s Judgement of 2 July 2015 in Case No. 2015-01-01, Para 15.1.)
Human dignity and the value of each individual is the substance of human rights. Therefore, in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, both the legislator, in adopting legal norms, and the party applying the legal norms, in the application thereof, must respect human dignity. (The Constitutional Court’s Judgement of 19 December 2017 in Case No. 2017-02-03, Para 19.1.)
On 10 October 2022, the 3rd Panel of the Constitutional Court initiated the case “On Compliance of Section 124, Paragraph Six of the Criminal Procedure Law with the First and Second Sentence of Article 92 of the Satversme”. The contested provisions Section 124, Paragraph six of the Criminal Procedure Law provides: “In criminal proceedings and in proceedings regarding […]
On 23–24 February 2023, a delegation of lawyers from the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia, led by the Head of the Legal Department, Kristaps Tamužs, visited the Constitutional Court. During the working meetings, advisers, judicial assistants, and consultants of the Constitutional Courts of Lithuania and Latvia shared their work experience and discussed the […]
On 17 February 2023, the Constitutional Court adopted a judgment in Case No 2022-05-01 “On Compliance of Section 43, Paragraph four of the Civil Procedure Law with the First Sentence of Article 92 of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia”. The contested provision Section 43, Paragraph four of the Civil Procedure Law (hereinafter also – the contested provision): “A court or a […]
On 13 and 14 February, Justices of the Constitutional Court and representatives of its administration participated in several working meetings in Luxemburg with the management of the Court of Justice of the European Union, as well as examined specific issues related to ensuring the functioning of the Court and the General Court. Judges of the Court […]
On 9 February 2023, the Constitutional Court delivered a judgement in Case No. 2020-33-01 “On Compliance of the Third Sentence of Section 5, Paragraph One, Section 56, Paragraph Three and Paragraph 49 of Transitional Provisions of the Law on Higher Education Institutions with Article 1 and Article 105 of the Satversme of the Republic of […]
At 13.30, a press conference will be held, during which Report on the Work of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia in 2022 will be presented and current trends in the area of constitute law in the Baltic States will be examined. Aldis Laviņš, President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of […]
Today at 10 a.m. (Riga time), the Constitutional Court’s solemn hearing will be held on the occasion of opening the new judicial year. The Constitutional Court’s solemn hearing will be streamed live here: The solemn hearing will be opened by the Constitutional Court’s President Aldis Laviņš, who will report on the development of the constitutional law in […]
On Friday, 3 February, at 10 a.m. (Riga time), the Constitutional Court’s solemn hearing will be held on the occasion of opening the new judicial year. The solemn hearing will be opened by the Constitutional Court’s President Aldis Laviņš, who will report on the development of the constitutional law in 2022 (simultaneous interpretation into English will be provided). […]
The Constitutional Court publishes the new episode of the podcast “Tversme”, in which the Vice-president of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia Irēna Kucina is in conversation with Danutė Jočienė, the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania, about shared challenges and the role of constitutional courts in promoting sustainability […]
On 22 December 2022, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia delivered its judgement in case No. 2022‑09‑01 “On compliance of Para 1 of Section 23 of Punishment Register Law, insofar it applies to information about an acquitted person, with Article 96 of the Satversme of the Republic of Latvia”. The Contested Norm Pursuant […]
On 2 December 2022, the Court adopted a judgement in Case No 2021‑42‑01 “On Compliance of Section 500, Paragraph Six of the Criminal Procedure Law with Article 92 of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia”. The contested provisions In accordance with Section 500, Paragraph six of the Criminal Procedure Law, if the information obtained […]
On 3 November 2022, the Constitutional Court adopted a judgement in the case “On Compliance of Section 6, Clause 2 of the Law on the Election of Local Government Councils with the First Sentence of Article 101, Paragraph Two of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia (Satversme)”. The contested norm Para 2 of Section 6 of […]
On 4-6 October 2022, Aldis Laviņš, President of the Constitutional Court, and Andrejs Stupins, Advisor to the President, participated in the 5th Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice “Constitutional Justice and Peace”, held in Bali, Indonesia. The World Conference on Constitutional Justice unites over 100 constitutional courts, councils and supreme courts from Europe, America, Africa, […]
On 3 October 2022, the 1st Panel of the Constitutional Court initiated the case “On Compliance of Paragraph 7 of the Transitional Provisions of Citizenship Law with the First Sentence of Article 91 of the Satversme”. The contested provision Paragraph 7 of the Transitional Provisions of the Citizenship Law: “The time period of 10 years referred to in Section 24, Paragraph three […]
On 6 October, the sitting of the General Assembly of the World Conference of Constitutional Justice was held in the framework of the Congress, during which the Latvian Constitutional Court was approved as a member of the Bureau of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice where it will represent the interests of the members of […]
Today the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia Aldis Laviņš gave a speech at the 5th Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice. Video of the speech is available here:
