The collection of rulings of the Department of Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court Senate which was published late last year contains 101 rulings adopted by the Department in 2006. The Collection is significant because for the first time the practice of application of the new Criminal Procedure is analyzed. Cognitions given in the published rulings will help in the practical work both lawyers and other interested persons.

The year of 2006 in reviewing criminal cases is significant because the new Criminal Procedure Law was applied in full. The practice of application of this law has shown both its shortcomings and drawbacks and the positive side related to fair regulation of criminal-justice relations trying to ensure efficient application of the standards of the Criminal Law.

The Department of Criminal Cases of the Senate has paid much attention to the issues related to agreement on admission of guilt and application of punishment during the pre-trial proceedings and during the trial, on understanding of legal presumption of a fact and scope of application, on the conflict of interests in criminal proceedings, on possibility to hear a case in absence of the accused, as well as other issues related to proving and proof.

The rulings in the collection have been grouped in three sections separating the issues on application of standards of substantial law of the General Part from issues on application of the Special Part, as well as dealing separately with issues on application of procedural law standards.

Each of the rulings is supplemented by a specific thesis which points to the problem of legal nature reviewed in the case. Several indexes given in the collection will help the users orientate in it.

Introduction and resume to the collection is published in Latvian and for the first time also in English what will give insight in the work of the Latvian Senate reviewing criminal cases, to the interested persons abroad.

The collection is issued by the state joint stock company “Tiesu namu aģentūra”. It was compiled with the participation of the senator Pēteris Dzalbe of the Department of Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court Senate and the consultant Nora Magone of the Division of Case-law of the Supreme Court.

The collection is hardbound, 542 pages, the price – Ls 18.50. Collections of rulings of the Supreme Court Senate in civil cases and criminal cases are published starting from 1996, starting from 2005 – also in administrative cases.
 

Information prepared by the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court

Author: Rasma Zvejniece, Manager of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 7020396, 28652211