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Judicial self-government and governance in Ukraine: historical and legal research

Slovo of the National School of Judges of Ukraine. №4(53) 2025. P. 6-21

ISSN: 2707-6849           

UDC347.97/.99

DOI https://doi.org/10.37566/2707-6849-2025-4(53)-1 

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Vitaliy MAKHINCHUK,

Member of the High Council of Justice,

Chief Researcher of the

Research Institute of Private Law and Entrepreneurship named after Academician F. G. Burchak of the National Academy of Law and

Humanities of Ukraine,

Doctor of Law, Professor,

Honored Lawyer of Ukraine

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4360-0287

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Arkady ZAPOROZHCHENKO,

Assistant to the Member of the High Council of Justice,

Doctor of Philosophy in Law

ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3973-715X

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Judicial self-government and governance in Ukraine: historical and legal research

 

Abstract 

Article examined the historical evolution of judicial self-governance and administration in Ukraine from 1917 to the present. It analyzed the legal and regulatory framework establishing judicial self-governing bodies, focusing on the development of the High Council of Justice and its successor.

The study highlighted the influence of European models, particularly Italy’s Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura, on the formation of Ukrainian judicial governance.

Key stages of reform were outlined, including the adoption of the 1996 Constitution, the establishment of judicial self-governing bodies, and the enactment of laws defining their structure and functions.

Attention was given to reforms initiated during the post-Soviet period, the process of institutionalizing judicial self-governance, and the legal regulation of the judiciary.

The authors emphasized the growing role of professional, moral, and ethical criteria, especially integrity, in selecting and evaluating candidates for judicial office. The article also examined recent developments, including the establishment of the Ethics Council in 2021, which strengthened the assessment of candidates for the High Council of the Judiciary.

The study demonstrated that historical legacies, legislative reforms, and European standards have collectively shaped Ukraine’s modern judiciary, ensuring independence, accountability, and ethical governance of judges across different levels and jurisdictions.

Overall, the article concluded that over the past thirty years Ukraine has achieved significant progress in building sustainable structures of judicial self-governance and administration, advancing the professionalism and integrity of the judiciary, and aligning domestic practices with European legal standards.

 

Keywords: judicial self-government, judicial administration, High Council of Justice, judicial system, constitutional law, judicial reforms, integrity, ethics, independence of the judiciary.

 

 

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SuggestedCitation: MAKHINCHUK, V., ZAPOROZHCHENKO, A. (2025).   Judicial self-government and governance in Ukraine: historical and legal research.Slovoof the National School of Judges of Ukraine, 4 (53), 6–21. https://doi.org/10.37566/2707-6849-2025-4(53)-1

 

 

Date of first submission of the article to the publication: 22.12.2025

Date of acceptance of the article for publication after review: 17.03.2026

Date of publication (publication): 09.04.2026