Current Developments in Judicial Proceedings in November 2025
On 13 November 2025, the Constitutional Court delivered its judgement in case No. 2024-26-03. The Court recognised the provisions in the spatial plan of Jūrmala State City, by which the functional zoning of some land units had been changed from the territory of nature foundation to a territory for constructing detached houses, as being incompatible with Article 115 of the Constitution. The case was initiated on the basis of a constitutional complaint submitted by the Jūrmala Protection Association. The Association held that the local government, by permitting construction on the disputed land units in Stirnurags, Bulduri, Jaundubulti, and Pumpuri, had not duly assessed the environmental impact of the contested provisions. The Constitutional Court held that the local government, by defining construction of detached houses as the planned type of utilisation of the disputed land units and postponing detailed research of the natural and biological diversity for the time when the detail planning would be done, had not taken into consideration its duty to ensure favourable protection of species and habitats and the protection of specially protected nature areas. Likewise, the local government has not provided data-based substantiation as to how the contested provisions ensure reaching of the economic and social aims, set by the local government, and that the public benefit would outweigh the possible harm to nature. Thus, in the process of adopting the contested provisions, sustainability, precaution and evaluation principles have been violated and, hence, these provisions are incompatible with the right to live in benevolent environment.
In November, the Constitutional Court, at an open court hearing, with the participants in the case present, continued reviewing case No. 2024-21-0103 regarding the fee for the lawful use of land and the procedure for cadastral valuation of land in lawful use, as well as began reviewing three cases in written procedure:
- case No. 2024-29-01 regarding the rights of legal heirs to contest a will;
- case No. 2024-33-05 regarding the suspension of the binding regulations of the local government council of Ropaži Municipality;
- case No. 2025-01-01 regarding the provisions that denies the right to adopt a child to a person who has been punished for violence.
Seven cases were in preparation at the Constitutional Court, and two cases were prepared for review. In addition to three cases, the type of proceedings and the date of hearing of which had been determined before, the Constitutional Court determined this for three additional cases.
17 applications were submitted to the Constitutional Court. 16 applications were submitted by private persons and one by a court, which is examining an administrative case.
Eight decisions to refuse initiation of a case were adopted with respect to the following applications:
- Application No. 184/2025 regarding a provision in the Criminal Procedure Law that provides for the right of a suspect with respect to determining an expert-examination. Decision on the application.
- Application No. 185/2025 regarding the regulation of the Civil Law on the rights of creditors and third parties in the case where the property of spouses has been divided and in the case of a marriage contract. Decision on the application.
- Application No. 188/2025 regarding the provision of the Civil Law that sets out that one of the pre-conditions for a transaction to be in effect is the signatures of all participants on the transaction. Decision on the application.
- Application No. 190/2025 regarding the regulation of the Civil Procedure Law on contesting the assumption of paternity and determining expert-examination for the specification of a child’s biological descent. Decision on the application.
- Application No. 191/2025 regarding the regulation of the Criminal Procedure Law, which does not envisage renewal of criminal proceedings in connection with newly disclosed circumstances. Decision on the application.
- Application No. 193/2025 regarding the decision No. 1/19 of the Public Utilities Commission Council of 29 August 2022 “Methodology for Calculating Tariffs for Natural Gas Distribution System Services” and the decision of 3 November 2022 on the regulation of No. 1/40 “Regulations on Familiarization with the Draft Tariff “ regarding the information available on the regulator’s webpage on the draft tariff. Decision on the application.
- Application No. 196/2025 regarding the provision of the law “On Taxes and Fees” that determines that late tax liabilities are recovered on an uncontested basis. Decision on the application.
- Application No. 198/2025 regarding the regulation of the Law on the Completion of the Privatisation of State and Local Government Residential Houses, which determines the procedure for appointing an administrator of a privatised residential building if the owners of the residential properties have not adopted the decision on assuming the right to administration. Decision on the application.
On 4 December 2025, the Constitutional Court decided to amend the provisions of the Rules of Procedure of the Court regarding the procedure for pronouncing a judgement. In the future, at a court hearing with the participants in the case present, the judgement will be pronounced by stating the most important facts of the case and the findings made in the judgement, as well as reading the substantive part of the judgement. The amendments enter into effect on 8 November 2025.
This information has been prepared with the aim of promoting understanding of the work of the Constitutional Court. It should not be considered part of the ruling and is not binding upon the Constitutional Court.