INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF UKRAINE
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is a body of constitutional jurisdiction, which ensures the supremacy of the Constitution of Ukraine, decides on conformity of laws of Ukraine to the Constitution of Ukraine and other acts in the cases provided for by the Constitution of Ukraine, provides official interpretation of the Constitution of Ukraine, as well as exercises other powers under the Constitution of Ukraine.
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine was established on October 16, 1996, its operation based on the principles of the rule of law, independence, collegiality, publicity, openness, complete and comprehensive consideration of cases, reasonableness and binding effect of its decisions and opinions.
The Court adopts decisions, provides opinions, delivers rulings, and issues interim orders. Acts on matters which are not related to constitutional proceedings are adopted in the form of resolutions. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine rendered its first decision on May 13, 1997.
The procedure of organisation and operation of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the status of judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the grounds and procedure for appealing to it, the procedure for considering cases and executing its decisions are determined by the Constitution of Ukraine (of June 28, 1996), by the Law of Ukraine "On the Constitutional Court of Ukraine" (of July 13, 2017), as well as by the Rules of Procedure of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (of February 22, 2018).
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is composed of eighteen judges. The President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Congress of Judges of Ukraine each appoint six judges of the Constitutional Court according to the results of competitive selection. Currently, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine consists of 15 judges.
The Court comprises the Grand Chamber, two Senates and six Boards.
The Grand Chamber, while operating, consists of all Judges of the Constitutional Court.
The Senate (the First and the Second) consists of nine Judges of the Constitutional Court.
The Board (six Boards) consists of three Constitutional Court Judges.
The Secretary of the Board is elected from among the Constitutional Court Judges who are members of this Board on the plenary session.
The Chairman of the Court is elected from among the Constitutional Court Judges by secret ballot at a special plenary session of the Court for a single three-year term. The Chairman acts in the representative, managerial and administrative capacity.
The Deputy Chairman of the Court is elected upon the proposal of the Chairman of the Court for a single three-year term by secret ballot in the manner prescribed for the election of the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. The Deputy Chairman of the Court, under instructions of the Chairman of the Court, exercises some of his/her powers.
To address issues associated with organisational activities of the Court special plenary sessions of the Court or sessions of the Court are convened.
Standing Commissions act as auxiliary bodies of the Court in the issues of managing internal operations.
Currently, the Constitutional Court has the following standing commissions: on international relations, on regulations and ethics, on budget and personnel, and on scientific and information support.
Applications to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine are made in the form of constitutional petition, constitutional appeal, or constitutional complaint.
The Secretariat of the Court, led by the Head of the Secretariat, provides organisational, analytical, legal, information and logistics support for the Court’s operations.
The Regulations on the Secretariat, its structure and staff table are approved by the Court upon submission of the Head of the Secretariat.
During the first quarter of each year, the Court makes public annual information report of its activities and financial support in the previous year.
Research Advisory Council is formed at the Constitutional Court from highly qualified specialists in the field of law for the preparation of research opinions on the activities of the Constitutional Court.
The Court maintains cooperation with foreign bodies of constitutional jurisdiction, international courts and international organisations by concluding agreements on cooperation, mutual exchange of delegations, etc.
The official publication of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine is "The Bulletin of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine".
