Zelensky signs law to speed up consideration of criminal cases in trial courts

According to the report, the law "On the Introduction of Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine Concerning Criminal Proceedings in a Court of First Instance by a Panel of Judges," passed by the Verkhovna Rada on July 21, 2020, amends Parts 2 of Article 31 and Article 315 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The amendments read that criminal proceedings in a trial court with regard to crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding ten years are carried out collectively by a panel of three judges only at the request of the accused.

The President's Office said this would speed up the consideration of criminal proceedings in the courts of first instance, which will have a positive effect on the implementation of the rights of the parties to criminal proceedings, compliance with the principles of criminal proceedings, and the quality of work of courts of general jurisdiction in Ukraine.

According to the report, such a move will relieve the courts of a great number of criminal proceedings heard by three-judge panels and help improve citizens' access to justice and fulfill the tasks of criminal proceedings enshrined in national legislation and international agreements.

The President's Office said that so far many criminal proceedings, considered in the courts of first instance by a panel of judges, have stayed there for more than two years. This is due to the growing number of such cases and the difficulty in agreeing on the schedules of court sessions between panel members, especially during the vacations.

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