Constitutional Court of Lithuania

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian: Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucinis Teismas) is a special court established by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania of 1992; it began the activities after the adoption of the Law on Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania on February 3, 1993. Since its inception, the Court has been located in the city of Vilnius, Gediminas Avenue.

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The main task of the court is judicial review. It may therefore declare the acts of the Seimas unconstitutional and thus render them ineffective. As such, it is somewhat similar to the Supreme Court of the United States. However, it differs from it and other supreme courts in that it is not part of the regular judicial system, but more a unique judicial branch. Most importantly, it does not serve as a regular court of appeals from lower courts or as a sort of “superappellate court” on any violation of national laws.

The Court's palace on Gediminas Avenue

Its jurisdiction is focused on constitutional issues, the integrity of the Constitution. Moreover, it adjudicates on the conformance of the acts of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania to the laws, compliance with the Constitution of international agreements, as well as their ratification, and takes a final decision on voting infringements.

Activities

The Court has played a substantial role in the development of the Lithuanian legal system, declaring a number of national laws unconstitutional. On March 31, 2004, it issued a ruling acknowledging the breach of the oath of office by the President Rolandas Paksas. He was removed from office by Seimas following the impeachment on April 6, 2004; this has been the first successful case of impeachment of the head of state in the history of Europe.[1] The ruling interpreted the Constitution as precluding a person, who was pleaded guilty for the breach of oath, from assuming any future position in public service, which requires taking an oath.

Composition

The Court comprises nine justices, elected by the Seimas, for a nine-year non-renewable term of office. Only Lithuanian citizens of an impeccable reputation, who are trained in law, and who have served for at least 10 years in the legal profession, or in an area of legal education are eligible for appointment. Usually, notable legal scholars and highly experienced judges qualify for the position. The candidates are nominated by the Chairman of the Seimas, the President of Lithuania and the President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Lithuania, 3 persons each. The Seimas appoints the President of the Court from among the justices upon the nomination by the President of the state.

Members

Current members
Name Date of birth Hometown President Date appointed Mandatory retirement year Law School Prior judicial office
Dainius Žalimas
(President Justice)		 (1973-05-22) 22 May 1973 Vilnius Grybauskaitė 15 March 2011
11 July 2014		 2020 Vilnius University Permanent Court of Arbitration
Gediminas Mesonis (1968-11-09) 9 November 1968 Vilnius Grybauskaitė 15 March 2011 2020 Mykolas Romeris University
Vytautas Milius (1949-02-21) 21 February 1949 Varėna Grybauskaitė 17 December 2013 2020 Vilnius University Šilutė District Local Court
Druskininkai City Local Court
Court of Appeal of Lithuania
Supreme Court of Lithuania
Elvyra Baltutytė (1954-12-06) 6 December 1954 Šilutė Grybauskaitė 10 March 2014 2023 Vilnius University European Court of Human Rights
Vytautas Greičius (1949-05-09) 9 May 1949 Tauragė Grybauskaitė 10 March 2014 2023 Vilnius University Klaipėda City Local Court
Ukmergė Local Court
Supreme Court of Lithuania
Danutė Jočienė (1970-11-10) 10 November 1970 Mažeikiai Grybauskaitė 10 March 2014 2023 Vilnius University European Court of Human Rights
Gintaras Goda (1965-06-13) 13 June 1965 Švenčionys Grybauskaitė 14 March 2017 2026 Goethe University Frankfurt Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania
Supreme Court of Lithuania
Daiva Petrylaitė (1977-08-23) 23 August 1977 Raseiniai Grybauskaitė 14 March 2017 2026 Vilnius University
Janina Stripeikienė (1955-03-08) 8 March 1955 Kelmė Grybauskaitė 14 March 2017 2026 Vilnius University Court of Appeal of Lithuania
Supreme Court of Lithuania

Historical composition

1993–1996

  • Juozas Žilys (President)
  • Algirdas Gailiūnas
  • Kęstutis Lapinskas
  • Zigmas Levickis
  • Vladas Pavilonis († 2003)
  • Pranas Vytautas Rasimavičius († 2002)
  • Teodora Staugaitienė
  • Stasys Stačiokas
  • Stasys Šedbaras.

1996–1999

  • Juozas Žilys (President)
  • Egidijus Jarašiūnas
  • Kęstutis Lapinskas
  • Zigmas Levickis
  • Augustinas Normantas
  • Vladas Pavilonis (†2003)
  • Jonas Prapiestis
  • Pranas Vytautas Rasimavičius (†2002)
  • Teodora Staugaitienė

1999–2002

  • Vladas Pavilonis (President) (†2003)
  • Egidijus Jarašiūnas
  • Egidijus Kūris
  • Zigmas Levickis
  • Augustinas Normantas
  • Jonas Prapiestis
  • Vytautas Sinkevičius
  • Stasys Stačiokas
  • Teodora Staugaitienė

2002–2005

  • Egidijus Kūris (President)
  • Egidijus Jarašiūnas
  • Augustinas Normantas
  • Armanas Abramavičius
  • Kęstutis Lapinskas
  • Zenonas Namavičius
  • Jonas Prapiestis
  • Vytautas Sinkevičius
  • Stasys Stačiokas

2005-2008

  • Egidijus Kūris (President)
  • Vytautas Sinkevičius
  • Stasys Stačiokas
  • Kęstutis Lapinskas
  • Armanas Abramavičius
  • Zenonas Namavičius
  • Romualdas Kęstutis Urbaitis
  • Toma Birmontienė
  • Ramutė Ruškytė

2008-2011

  • Kęstutis Lapinskas (President)
  • Armanas Abramavičius
  • Zenonas Namavičius
  • Romualdas Kęstutis Urbaitis
  • Toma Birmontienė
  • Ramutė Ruškytė
  • Pranas Kuconis
  • Egidijus Šileikis
  • Algirdas Taminskas

2011-2014

  • Romualdas Kęstutis Urbaitis (President)
  • Toma Birmontienė
  • Ramutė Ruškytė
  • Pranas Kuconis
  • Egidijus Šileikis
  • Algirdas Taminskas
  • Dainius Žalimas
  • Egidijus Bieliūnas
  • Gediminas Mesonis

2014-2017

  • Dainius Žalimas (President)
  • Pranas Kuconis
  • Egidijus Šileikis
  • Algirdas Taminskas
  • Gediminas Mesonis
  • Elvyra Baltutytė
  • Vytas Milius
  • Vytautas Greičius
  • Danutė Jočienė

2017-2020 (current)

  • Dainius Žalimas (President)
  • Gediminas Mesonis
  • Elvyra Baltutytė
  • Vytas Milius
  • Vytautas Greičius
  • Danutė Jočienė
  • Gintaras Goda
  • Daiva Petrylaitė
  • Janina Stripeikienė
gollark: Do you get 5 NDs at a time or something?!
gollark: (do you people obtain these things)
gollark: HOW?
gollark: At significant cost.
gollark: I can only get 3Gs.

See also

References
  1. Lithuania: Paksas Becomes First European President To Be Removed From Office Accessed January 8, 2007

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