A little more than a year ago, on 15 March 2012 the National Judicial Council (NJC), the central supervisory body of court administration, commenced its work. On the occasion of this anniversary, dr. Sándor Fazekas, president-in-office of the board comprised of fifteen members held a press conference after a session on 16 April.

He pointed out that as a consequence of a law amendment – primarily in the field of human resources – the tasks and competences of the Council have been broadened, while further members with advisory rights joined the organization, and the budget of the NJC has been separated from that of the National Office for the Judiciary (NOJ) since July 2012.

He highlighted the fact that fulfilling its role as defined by law in the previous term the organization made 6 guiding resolutions and 1 guiding recommendation besides several actual decisions. Among these, complying with the statutory obligations and regarding the disciplinary proceedings against judges and the related compensations, as well as the disputes arising from the evaluation of their work as judges or as court executives, the body appointed the members of the First Instance Service Court at the Budapest Regional Court of Appeal and the Second Instance Service Court at the Curia, and elected the presidents of the new panels on legal remedy.

The president-in-office remarked that among its first decisions, regarding the renewal of the appointment of a court president and vice-president who have already filled the position twice, the NJC decided that in this case the appointments can only be renewed exceptionally and only if the requirements in the resolution are met.

Additionally, he referred to the fact that as an important article in its resolution made last May the Council adopted the prohibition of employment of persons with conflicting interests – namely that it is not allowed for court executives and their family members to abjudicate at the same court -, while it also established the grounds for exemption from the prohibition for a maximum of two years.

In its decision of September the Council established the principles guiding the designation of a court of trial.

The Council also made a recommendation on the uniform interpretation and application of the decree of the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice governing the detailed regulations of the evaluation of applications for judicial positions, and defined the principles for the judicial councils that should be taken into consideration in the case of altering from the rank of applicants determined during the application process. The organization also created a uniform and transparent evaluation system that should be applied during the selection of persons to be awarded or honoured.

As dr. Sándor Fazekas, president-in-office summarized: “Exercising its rights defined by law and in accordance with the principles laid down at its first session, the Council continuously worked in favour of the efficient and timely administration of justice.”

Links to relating articles:

• http://www.echotv.hu/belfold/birosag_kijelolese_europaban_szamos_helyen_van_lehetoseg.html
• http://www.hirado.hu/Hirek/2013/04/16/14/OBT_elnok_mas_orszagokban_is_van_lehet_seg_birosag_kijelolesere.aspx?source=hirkereso
• http://www.magyarhirlap.hu/mi-lesz-a-megaugyekkel
• http://www.stop.hu/belfold/ismet-lettek-europai-peldak-a-kifogasolt-gyakorlatra/1139339/
• http://www.jogiforum.hu/hirek/29439