Current developments in judicial proceedings in January 2025
In January 2025, 21 applications have been handed over for review to panels of the Constitutional Court. All the applications were submitted to the Court by private individuals. In total, 10 cases were initiated by the Constitutional Court after reviewing applications submitted at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025.
Most of the cases have been initiated with respect to fundamental rights issues.
- regarding a prohibition to adopt a child imposed on persons convicted of violent crimes (case No. 2025-01-01);
- regarding the fees for exercising land use rights (case No. 2025-02-01, case No. 2025-03-01, case No. 2025-05-01, and case No. 2025-07-01);
- a case has been initiated on the basis of an application by the Ombudsman regarding the right of students studying abroad to receive scholarships for social support (case No. 2025-06-0106);
- regarding the right of a person to appeal to a court a decision on termination of administrative offence proceedings due to the insignificant nature of the offence (case No. 2025-08-01);
- regarding the amount of aid for restrictions on the use of forests due to microreserves (case No. 2025-09-03 and case No. 2025-10-03).
In addition, a case regarding the inclusion of Murmastiene and Varakļāni rural territories and the town of Varakļāni in Madona municipality was initiated on the basis of an application submitted by members of the Saeima (case No. 2025-04-01).
In January 2025, panels of the Constitutional Court adopted eight decisions on refusal to initiate a case with respect to the following applications:
- application No. 131/2024 was submitted regarding provisions of the Administrative Procedure Law in relation to the right of the Senate to refuse to examine an ancillary complaint if it is manifestly unfounded or outright insulting and defiant. Decision on the application.
- application No. 132/2024 was submitted regarding a provision of the Insolvency Law which prescribes the right of a person to contest decisions taken by the Insolvency Control Service. Decision on the application.
- application No. 139/2024 was submitted with respect to provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law which provide for the protection of rights before the cassation court and also with respect to the fact that the Senate, when deciding on a cassation complaint, does not take into account the duration of the criminal proceedings. Decision on the application.
- application No. 144/2024 was submitted regarding the regulatory framework relating to the recognition of an immovable property previously belonging to a foreign authority as the property of the State of Latvia. Decision on the application.
- application No. 1/2025 was submitted regarding the possible impact of certain provisions of the State Immovable Property Cadastre Law on the cadastral value of the plots of land owned by persons. Decision on the application.
- application No. 2/2025 was submitted regarding provisions of the Administrative Procedure Law in relation to the right of the Senate to refuse to initiate cassation proceedings if the cassation complaint is manifestly unfounded or outright insulting and defiant. Decision on the application.
- application No. 3/2025 was submitted regarding provisions of the Law on Residential Properties which allow the community of apartment owners to decide by simple majority on the assumption of credit obligations for reconstruction of jointly owned parts of an apartment building. Decision on the application.
- application No. 5/2025 was submitted regarding the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Law on Administrative Liability and the Law on Notification which provide for the proof of the fact of the notification of a document. Decision on the application.
In January 2025, 22 cases were in the preparation stage and the preparation of 2 cases for adjudication was completed at the Constitutional Court. In addition to the 6 cases for which the procedure and the date for examining the cases had been determined beforehand, the Constitutional Court determined the procedure and the date for hearing 3 additional cases.
In January 2025, the Constitutional Court started the adjudication of three cases:
- case No. 2024-06-01 regarding pre-election campaigns only in the official language;
- case No. 2023-40-01 regarding submission of evidence in the proceedings regarding criminally acquired property;
- case No. 2022-01-01 regarding the regulatory framework of the proceedings regarding criminally acquired property.
This information has been prepared for the purpose of raising awareness about the work of the Constitutional Court. This information does not constitute part of a court ruling and is not binding upon the Constitutional Court.