TEISMŲ REFORMA LIETUVOJE
THE REFORM OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN LITHUANIA

Summary/Abstract: The judicial system plays an essential part in the separation of powers. Lithuanian legislation provides a flexible and democratic judicial system for the protection of constitutional rights and freedoms. Yet, the growing need for a more economical, operative and public available judicial system as well as some procedural flaws of the system, mainly concerning the unequal work load among courts and, consequently, judges, demanded its reorganization which has already begun with the merging of district courts in the cities of Vilnius, Kaunas and Šiauliai in January, 2013. The article describes the existing judicial system in Lithuania, discusses the prerequisites of the reform and presents the core of the reform itself – the reorganization of 49 district courts into 12 courts’ centers and 5 regional administrative courts into 2 centers for the hearing of administrative cases. Furthermore, the positive shifts in the judicial system, as presented in the concept of the reform are presented. Conclusions, reached on the grounds of the research suggest that the need of the reform was justified and the concept of the reform, though somewhat early to judge precisely, is mainly positive in the light of its specifics and the similar experience of other European states.

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