Article title Challenging Issues of Pre-Trial Investigation Term Extension by Investigating Judge
Authors
Name of magazine Legal journal «Law of Ukraine» (Ukrainian version)
Issue 8/2018
Сторінки [60-71]
DOI 10.33498/louu-2018-08-060
Annotation

Having introduced judicial control over extension of the pre-trial investigation term as an enhanced guarantee of rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of participants to criminal proceedings, the legislator left unresolved a number of issues pertaining to legal regulation exercised when a respective procedural decision is made, and this entails certain contradictions in the administration of law activities. The purpose of the article is to develop the proposals for improving the procedure of pre-trial investigation term extension by investigating judge through the prism of ensuring the balance of public and private interests. The authors have established that the regulatory uncertainty resulted in the contradictory court practice regarding investigating judge’s powers to hear on the motion to extend the pre-trial investigation term without a respective preliminary extension of the term by prosecutor. The article provides rationale for the need to give more specifically in Art. 294 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine (hereinafter – the CCrP of Ukraine) the cases when the prosecution files the motion requesting pre-trial investigation term extension to investigating judge in the context of the investigator’s, prosecutor’s right to submit a respective motion to investigating judge, without prior extension of the term in the manner prescribed by cl. 1, Part 3, Article 294 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine. As the authors have found, in the administration of law activities a point at issue is the capability of investigating judge to extend the preliminary investigation term to three months, in case the prosecution fails to prove that a longer period is needed. It is noted that it would be expedient in Article 294 of the CCrP of Ukraine to provide a more specific definition of the powers enjoyed by investigating judge based on the results of hearing on the motion to extend the pre-trial investigation term, with due regard for the provisions of Article 114 of the CCrP of Ukraine. The authors note that there is a need in Article 295-1 of the CCrP of Ukraine to determine the procedure for notification of suspect, defense counsel about the motion to extend the pre-trial investigation term submitted to investigating judge. It is established that investigating judges in a different manner decide on hearing on the motion to extend the pre-trial investigation term in case of default of appearance by the parties to criminal proceedings. The authors provide rationale for the expediency of a differentiated approach to the consequences of default of appearance by the parties to criminal proceedings in cases when they should participate in hearing on the motion to extend the pre-trial investigation term. Based on the research findings, it is proposed to make changes and additions to Art. 294 and Art. 295-1 of the CCrP of Ukraine, which will facilitate the implementation of the fundamental principles of criminal proceedings in deciding on the term of pre-trial investigation.

 

Keywords pre-trial investigation term; extension of pre-trial investigation term; investigating judge; prosecutor; the prosecution
References

List of legal documents 
 

Legislation 
1. Kryminalnyi protsesualnyi kodeks Ukrainy [The Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine]: Zakon Ukrainy [the Law of Ukraine] vid 13 kvitnia 2012 р. № 4651-VI. URL: http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/4651-17 (accessed: 30.08.2018). 
2. Pro vnesennia zmin do Hospodarskoho protsesualnoho kodeksu Ukrainy, Tsyvilnoho protsesualnoho kodeksu Ukrainy, Kodeksu administratyvnoho sudochynstva Ukrainy ta inshykh zakonodavchykh aktiv [On Amendments to the Code of Economic Procedure of Ukraine, the Code of Civil Procedure of Ukraine, the Code of Administrative Court Proceedings of Ukraine and Other Pieces of Legislation]: Zakon Ukrainy [the Law of Ukraine] vid 03 zhovtnia 2017 р. № 2147-ІІІ URL: http://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/ show/2147%D0%B0-19 (accessed: 30.08.2018). 

Cases 
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5. Ukhvala slidchoho suddi Shevchenkivskoho raionnoho sudu m. Chernivtsi vid 
08.06.2018 u spravi № 727/6184/18 [Ruling of Investigating Judge of Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Chernivtsi City Dated 08.06.2018 in Case № 727/6184/18]. URL: http://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/74713882 (accessed: 30.08.2018) (in Ukrai nian). 
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10. Ukhvala slidchoho suddi Prymorskoho raionnoho sudu m. Odesy vid 22.05.2018 u spravi № 522/5721/18 [Ruling of Investigating Judge of Prymorskyi District Court of Odessa Dated 22.05.2018 in Case No. 522/5721/18]. URL: http://reyestr.court.gov.ua/ Review/74260869 (accessed: 30.08.2018) (in Ukrainian). 
11. Ukhvala slidchoho suddi Khmelnytskoho miskraionnoho sudu Khmelnytskoi oblasti vid 
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15. Ukhvala slidchoho suddi Khersonskoho miskoho sudu Khersonskoi oblasti vid 
25.07.2018 u spravi № 766/6567/18 [Ruling of Investigating Judge of Kherson City Court of Kherson Region Dated 25.07.2018 in Case No. 766/6567/18]. URL: http://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/75577223 (accessed: 30.08.2018) (in Ukrainian). 
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17. Ukhvala slidchoho suddi Khmelnytskoho miskraionnoho sudu Khmelnytskoi oblasti vid 
13.06.2018 u spravi № 686/9290/18 [Ruling of Investigating Judge of Khmelnytskyi City and District Court in Khmelnytskyi Region Dated 13.06.2018 in Case No. 686/9290/18]. URL: http://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/74656035 (accessed: 30.08.2018) (in Ukrainian). 
18. Ukhvala slidchoho suddi Uzhhorodskoho miskraionnoho sudu Zakarpatskoi oblasti vid 13.08.2018 u spravi № 308/9050/18 [Ruling of Investigating Judge of Uzhhorod City and District Court of Zakarpatska Region Dated 13.08.2018 in Case No. 308/9050/18]. URL: http://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/75855639 (accessed: 30.08.2018) (in Ukrainian). 
19. Ukhvala slidchoho suddi Prymorskoho raionnoho sudu m. Odesy vid 14.06.2018 u spravi № 522/6536/18 [Ruling of Investigating Judge of Prymorskyi District Court of Odessa Dated 14.06.2018 in Case No. 522/6536/18]. URL: http://reyestr.court.gov.ua/ Review/74667958 (accessed: 30.08.2018) (in Ukrainian). 
20. Ukhvala slidchoho suddi Leninskoho raionnoho sudu m. Kirovohrada vid 16.08.2018 u spravi № 405/5349/18 [Ruling of Investigating Judge of Leninskyi District Court of Kirovohrad City Dated 16.08.2018 in Case No. 405/5349/18]. URL: http://reyestr.court. gov.ua/Review/75919704 (accessed: 30.08.2018) (in Ukrainian). 

 

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