Constitutional law and judicial law reforms, large-scale reassessment of values call for a revision of the existing stereotyped views on how the image of the judiciary in general and judges in particular is formed. The analysis of the constitutional legislation provisions proves that there is a need not only to entrench the provisions establishing the competitive principles of selection of judges, but also the specifics of their practical application. Given the above, the relevance of this article and the prospects of a further research into this issue are underlain by its timeliness, since the competitive selection was used to form the Supreme Court, appoint the judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine according to the quotas of the Congress of Judges of Ukraine and by the President of Ukraine, and in the future it is expected to hold a competition to the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine and the High Court on Intellectual Property, appellate and local courts. Besides, the relevance of a research into the issue of implementation of the constitutional competitive selection of judges stems from Ukraine’s intention, through constitutional law and judicial law reforms, to overcome the critical attitude to the judiciary and court protection of human rights and freedoms, and to restore public trust in courts. Along with a significant number of scientific publications which directly or indirectly touch the issue of selection of judges, the science of constitutional law has not yet developed a uniform approach to resolve this issue, and as a result, the status laws of Ukraine “On the Judicial System and the Status of Judges” and “On the Constitutional Court of Ukraine” do not have a proper doctrinal basis. Therefore, a need has arisen to monitor the practical application of these provisions with a view to ensuring compliance with the constitutional principles of organization and operation of the government, in particular, the judiciary. The purpose of this article is to analyze the approaches which are formed in the constitutional law doctrine (subject to the legislative and practical aspects) and used to understand the criteria based on which the competitive selection of judges is organized, with a view to outlining an overall picture of the problems associated with such selection, as well as with the aim of presenting the author’s own vision on how this procedure can be improved. It is established that the competitive procedure of selection of judges means finding the most worthy candidates for judicial positions; however, it should be improved. The author suggests that particular criteria defining the professional ethics and honesty of a candidate for the position of a judge be determined and the priority of professional criteria for determining the successful candidates be introduced. At the same time, firstly a candidate’s dossier should be studied and the interview with him/her should be held, and only after that it is appropriate to hold the examination which should determine the winners. The author arrives at the conclusion that there is a need to bring the provisions of Article 2084 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Regulations of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine” in compliance with Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Constitutional Court of Ukraine” and to determine the principles of competitive selection of judges to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, thus making it possible to prevent abuses and ensure transparent selection of legal professionals possessing proven competence and characterized by high morals. In the author’s opinion, such principles are: assurance of equal access, political impartiality, legality, public trust, non-discrimination, transparency, honesty, and efficient and fair selection process.

List of legal documents

Legislation

1. Code of Conduct for United States Judges. URL: http://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/ files/vol02a-ch02_0.pdf (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in English).

2. Joint Opinion of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) and OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ ODIHR) on the Draft Amendments to the Legal Framework on the Disciplinary Responsibility of Judges in the Kyrgyz Republic: Adopted by the Venice Commission at its 99th Plenary Session (Venice, 13–14 June 2014). URL: http://www.legislationline. org/documents/id/19099 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in English).

3. Konstytutsiia Ukrainy [The Constitution of Ukraine]: Zakon Ukrainy [the Law of Ukraine] vid 28 chervnia 1996 r. № 254k/96-VR. Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrainy. 1996. № 30. St. 141 (in Ukrainian).

4. Osnovni pryntsypy nezalezhnosti sudovykh orhaniv, skhvaleni rezoliutsiiamy [Basic Principles of Independence of the Judiciary Approved by Resolutions] 40/32 ta 40/146 Heneralnoi Asamblei [of General Assembly] vid 29 lystopada ta 13 hrudnia 1985 roku. URL: http:// zakon1.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_201 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

5. Pro konkursnu komisiiu dlia zdiisnennia vidboru kandydatur na posadu suddi Konstytutsiinoho Sudu Ukrainy shchodo osib, yakykh pryznachaie Prezydent Ukrainy [On the Competition Committee for Selecting the Candidates for the Position of a Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Concerning the Persons Appointed by the President of Ukraine]: Ukaz Prezydenta Ukrainy [Decree of the President of Ukraine] vid 4 zhovtnia 2017 r. № 306/2017. URL: http://zakon0.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/306/2017 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

6. Pro Konstytutsiinyi Sud Ukrainy [On the Constitutional Court of Ukraine]: Zakon Ukrainy [the Law of Ukraine] vid 13 lypnia 2017 r. № 2136-VIII. URL: http://zakon3. rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2136-19/print (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

7. Pro Rehlament Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrainy [On the Regulations of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine]: Zakon Ukrainy [the Law of Ukraine] vid 10 liutoho 2010 r. № 1861-V. Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrainy. 2010. № 14–15, № 16–17. St. 13 (in Ukrainian).

8. Pro sudoustrii i status suddiv [On the Judicial System and the Status of Judges]: Zakon Ukrainy [the Law of Ukraine] vid 2 chervnia 2016 r. № 1402-VIII. URL: http://zakon0. rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1402-19/print (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

9. Pro zasady zapobihannia ta protydii dyskryminatsii v Ukraini [On the Foundations of Preventing and Combating Discrimination in Ukraine]: Zakon Ukrainy [the Law of Ukraine] vid 6 chervnia 2012 r. № 5207-VI. Vidomosti Verkhovnoi Rady Ukrainy. 2013. № 32. St. 412 (in Ukrainian).

10. Vysnovok Venetsianskoi komisii shchodo Zakonu Ukrainy “Pro sudoustrii ta status suddiv” [Conclusion of the Venice Commission on the Law of Ukraine “On the Judicial System and the Status of Judges”] vid 30 chervnia 2017 r. URL: https://vkksu. gov.ua/userfiles/doc/perelik-dokumentiv/visnovok_osce.pdf (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

11. Yevropeiska khartiia pro zakon “Pro status suddiv” [The European Charter on the Law “On the Status of Judges”] vid 10 lypnia 1998 r. URL: http://zakon3.rada.gov.ua/laws/ show/994_236 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

Cases

12. Rishennia Verkhovnoho Sudu [Judgment of the Supreme Court] vid 1 liutoho 2018 r. № 71982112 u sudovii spravi [in a Court Case] № 800/328/17. URL: http://reyestr.court. gov.ua/Review/71982112 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

13. Rishennia Verkhovnoho Sudu [Judgment of the Supreme Court] vid 1 liutoho 2018 r. № 72029066 u sudovii spravi [in a Court Case] № 800/328/17. URL: http://reyestr.court. gov.ua/Review/72029066 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

14. Rishennia Verkhovnoho Sudu [Judgment of the Supreme Court] vid 1 liutoho 2018 r. № 72029066 u sudovii spravi [in a Court Case] № 800/328/17. URL: http://reyestr.court. gov.ua/Review/72029066 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

15. Rishennia Verkhovnoho Sudu [Judgment of the Supreme Court] vid 6 liutoho 2018 r. № 72065254 u sudovii spravi [in a Court Case] № 800/249/17. URL: http://reyestr.court. gov.ua/Review/72065254 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

16. Ukhvala Verkhovnoho Sudu [Ruling of the Supreme Court] vid 5 liutoho 2018 r. № 72064913 u sudovii spravi [in a Court Case] № 800/228/17. URL: http://reyestr.court. gov.ua/Review/72064913 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

17. Ukhvala Verkhovnoho Sudu [Ruling of the Supreme Court] vid 6 liutoho 2018 r. № 72065272 u sudovii spravi [in a Court Case] № 800/249/17. URL: http://reyestr.court. gov.ua/Review/72065272 (accessed: 20.02.2018) (in Ukrainian).

Bibliography

Authored books

18. Horodovenko Viktor, Problemy stanovlennia nezalezhnoi sudovoi vlady v Ukraini: monohrafiia [Issues of Establishment of Independent Judiciary in Ukraine: Monograph] (Feniks 2007) (in Ukrainian).

19. Yurevych I, Yednist sudovoi vlady [Consistency of the Judiciary] (Pravo 2014) (in Ukrainian). Edited books

20. Mishyna N ta Mikhalova V red, Konstytutsiine pravo zarubizhnykh krain [Constitutional Law of Foreign Countries], t 1: Zahalna chastyna [the Common Part] (Seredniak T K 2014) (in Ukrainian).

Journal articles

21. Marochkin I, ‘Dobir kandydativ na posady suddiv’ [‘Selection of Candidates for the Positions of Judges’] (2007) 1 Informatsiinyi visnyk Vyshchoi kvalifikatsiinoi komisii suddiv Ukrainy 19 (in Ukrainian).

Conference papers

22. Butyrskyi A, ‘Konkurs do Verkhovnoho Sudu: problemy teorii i praktyky’ [‘Competition to the Supreme Court: Issues of Theory and Practice’] v Shcherbaniuk O ta inshi (red), Suchasni vyklyky ta aktualni problemy sudovoi reformy v Ukraini: Mizhnarodna naukova konferentsiia [Modern Challenges and Relevant Issues of the Judicial Reform in Ukraine: International Scientific Conference] (Tekhnodruk 2017) (in Ukrainian).

Thesis abstracts

23. Moskvych Lidiia, ‘Orhanizatsiino-pravovi problemy statusu suddiv’ [‘Organizational and Legal Issues of the Status of Judges’] (avtoref dys kand yuryd nauk, Natsionalna yurydychna akademiia Ukrainy imeni Yaroslava Mudroho 2003) (in Ukrainian).

Newspaper articles

24. Selivanov Anatolii, ‘Sudova vlada maie proity reformu ponovlennia svoho avtorytetu ta doviry’ [‘The Judiciary Should Undergo a Reform to Restore Its Credibility and Trust in It’] Holos Ukrainy (Kyiv, 7 Lystopad 2017) (in Ukrainian).

Websites

25. ‘“Chystylyshche” Verkhovnoho Sudu: shcho vyishlo z pershoho v istorii krainy konkursu suddiv’ [‘“The Purgatory” of the Supreme Court: What the Country’s First-Ever Competition of Judges Resulted In’] (Novoe Vremia, 3 Traven 2017) <https://nv.ua/ ukr/ukraine/events/chistilishche-verhovnogo-sudu-shcho-vijshlo-z-pershogo-v-istorijikrajinikonkursu-suddiv-1084418.html> accessed 20 February 2018 (in Ukrainian).

26. ‘Umovy provedennia konkursu na zainiattia vakantnykh posad suddiv Konstytutsiinoho Sudu Ukrainy, zatverdzheni protokolom № 1 zasidannia Komisii [‘Provisions for Holding the Competition for the Vacant Positions of Judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Approved by Protocol № 1 of the Commission’] (Prezydent Ukrainy Petro Poroshenko: ofitsiine internet-predstavnytstvo, 18 Zhovten 2017) <http://www. president.gov.ua/news/umovi-provedennya-konkursu-na-zajnyattya-vakantnih-posadsud44022> accessed 2 February 2018 (in Ukrainian).

27. Vodiannikov Oleksandr, ‘Konkurs do Konstytutsiinoho Sudu vid suddivskoi vlady: rivniannia z shistma nevidomymy’ [‘Competition to the Constitutional Court from the Judiciary: an Equation in Six Unknowns’] (LB.ua, 13 Lystopad 2017) <https://ukr. lb.ua/blog/oleksandr_vodennikov/381760_konkurs_konstitutsiynogo_sudu_vid.html> accessed 20 February 2018 (in Ukrainian).