The article focuses on the study of the concept “access to justice” and the institution of representation as one of the key elements of this concept.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the concept “access to justice” and determine the essence and place of the institution of representation in civil litigation.

The author reviews the historical path of development of access to justice as a fundamental social and legal value, primarily, through the prism of doctrinal works by representatives of legal, economic and historical sciences. Resting upon an analysis of scientific developments, the author draws conclusions regarding the essence of this concept and its difference from the principles of civil procedure law.

Special focus is given to the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights which contain an interpretation of article 6 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms enshrining the right of everyone to a fair and open trial regarding a dispute concerning his/her rights and obligations, by an independent and impartial court established in accordance with law and within a reasonable time.

In the context of access to justice, the author makes a thorough study of the institution of representation in civil litigation, particularly, identifies main approaches to the definition of “representation in civil litigation” and concludes that the institution of representation and the institution of participation in civil litigation by bodies and persons who are entitled by law to go to court in the interests of others have certain specific characteristics, and thus they are stand-alone institutions designated to implement the right to legal assistance to those who need it.

At the end of the study, the author makes solid conclusions that justice, as a form ofexercising human and civil rights and freedoms, should be carried out via appropriate court procedures, and therefore the guarantees of the rights of persons who go to court for the protection of their rights, freedoms and interests are of absolute importance. The author believes that one of these guarantees is the institution of participation in civil litigation by bodies and persons who are entitled by law to resort to court in the interests of other persons. As a publicly oriented institution, its establishment and development indicates that intervention of the State mechanism in the settlement of disputes under private law should not contradict the discretionary and adversary nature of civil litigation, and should not go beyond the principles of the rule-of-law State and the discretionary right of the parties.

Bibliography

Authored books

1. Dunas T ta Rudenko M, Prokuror u tsyvilnomu protsesi Ukrainy: sutnist, zavdannia, povnovazhennia: navchalnyi ta naukovo-praktychnyi posibnyk [Public Prosecutor in Civil Procedure of Ukraine: Main Role, Objectives, Powers: Reference Book for Study, Practice and Science] (Kharkiv yurydychnyi 2006) (in Ukrainian).

2. Komarov V, Predmet tsyvilnoho protsesualnoho prava: tekst lektsii [Subject of Civil Procedure Law: Lecture Texts] (Iuryd Akad 1992) (in Ukrainian).

3. Kozhuhar’ A, Pravo na sudebnuju zashhitu v iskovom proizvodstve [Right to Judicial Protection in Adversary Proceeding] (Kishinev gos un-t im Lenina 1989) (in Russian).

4. Lebedev V, Stanovlenie i razvitie sudebnoj vlasti v Rossijskoj Federacii [Establishment and Development of the Judiciary in the Russian Federation] (Ros akad pravosudija 2000) (in Russian).

5. Prihod’ko I, Dostupnost’ pravosudija v arbitrazhnom i grazhdanskom processe: osnovnye problemy [Access to Justice in Arbitration and Civil Procedure: Major Challenge] (Izd dom Sankt-Peterburg gos un-ta 2005) (in Russian).

6. Rozenberg Ja, Predstavitel’stvo po grazhdanskim delam v sude i arbitrazhe [Representation in Civil Cases in Court and Arbitration Tribunal] (Zinatne 1981) (in Russian).

7. Sakara N, Problema dostupnosti pravosuddia u tsyvilnykh spravakh [The Problem of Access to Justice in Civil Cases] (Pravo 2010) (in Ukrainian).

8. Semenov V, Konstitucionnye principy grazhdanskogo sudoproizvodstva [Constitutional Principles of Civil Court Procedure] (Jurid lit 1982) (in Russian).

9. Shtefan M, Tsyvilne protsesualne pravo Ukrainy: akademichnyi kurs: pidruchnyk [Civil Procedure Law of Ukraine: Academic Course: Textbook] (In Yure 2005) (in Ukrainian).

10. Tertyshnikov V, Tsyvilnyi protses Ukrainy: navchalnyi posibnyk [Civil Procedure in Ukraine: Study Guide] (FOP Vapniarchuk N M 2006) (in Ukrainian).

11. Vas’kovskij E, Uchebnik grazhdanskogo processa [Textbook of Civil Procedure] (Zercalo 2003) (in Russian).

Edited books

12. Chechot D, Izbrannye trudy po grazhdanskomu processu [Selected Works on Civil Procedure] (Novikov E sost, Izd dom S-Pb gos un-ta 2005) (in Russian).

13. Evropejskij sud po pravam cheloveka: Izbrannye reshenija [European Court of Human Rights: Selected Judgments], t 1 (NORMA 2001) (in Russian).

14. Komarov V (red), Problemy nauki grazhdanskogo processual’nogo prava [Issues of the Science of Civil Procedure Law] (Pravo 2002) (in Russian).

15. Komarov V (red), Tsyvilne protsesualne pravo Ukrainy: pidruchnyk [Civil Procedure Law of Ukraine: Textbook] (Pravo 1999) (in Ukrainian).

16. Komarov V ta Barankova V, ‘Protsesualni pytannia, pov’iazani z vykonanniam sudovykh rishen’ [Procedural Issues Related to Execution of Judgments’] v Teoriia ta praktyka sudovoi diialnosti: naukovo-praktychnyi posibnyk [Theory and Practice of Judicial Activity: Scientific and Practical Reference Book] (Atika 2007) (in Ukrainian).

17. Prava liudyny i profesiini standarty dlia yurystiv v dokumentakh mizhnarodnykh orhanizatsii [Human Rights and Professional Standards for Lawyers in the Documents of International Organizations] (Ukrainsko-Amerykanske biuro zakhystu prav liudyny 1996) (in Ukrainian).

18. Shakarjan M (red), Grazhdanskoe processual’noe pravo: uchebnik [Civil Procedure Law: Textbook] (TK Velbi, Prospekt 2005) (in Russian).

19. Sudova praktyka Yevropeiskoho sudu z prav liudyny: rishennia shchodo Ukrainy [Case Law of the European Court of Human Rights: Judgments Regarding Ukraine] (Praksis 2005) (in Ukrainian).

Journal articles

20. Fursa S, ‘Teoretychni aspekty pravovoho ta protsesualnoho stanovyshcha prokurora v tsyvilnomu protsesi’ [‘Theoretical Aspects of Public Prosecutor’s Legal and Procedural Position in Civil Procedure’] (1998) 12 Pravo Ukrainy 67–70 (in Ukrainian).

21. Neshataeva T, ‘Sud i obshhepriznannye principy i normy mezhdunarodnogo prava’ [‘The Court and Generally Accepted Principles and Rules of International Law’] (2004) 3 Vesnik VAS RF 124–40 (in Russian).

22. Rudenko M ta Hlahovskyi V, ‘Predstavnytstvo prokuraturoiu interesiv hromadianyna abo derzhavy v sudi (teoretychnyi i praktychnyi aspekty)’ [‘Representation of the Interests of a Citizen or the State by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Court (Theoretical and Practical Aspects)’] (1997) 11 Pravo Ukrainy 59–63 (in Ukrainian).

Conference papers

23. Komarov V, ‘K probleme o konstitucionnyh osnovanijah grazhdanskogo sudoproizvodstva’ [‘On the Issue of the Constitutional Fundamentals of Civil Court Procedure] v Sovremennaja doktrina grazhdanskogo, arbitrazhnogo processa i ispolnitel’nogo proizvodstva: teorija i praktika: sbortik naucnyh statej [Modern Doctrine of Civil, Arbitration Procedure and Enforcement Proceedings: Theory and Practice: Collected Scientific Articles] (Jurid centr “Press” 2004) 91–108 (in Russian).

24. Komarov V, ‘Konstitucionnye parametry grazhdanskogo sudoproizvodstva’ [‘Constitutional Parameters of Civil Court Procedure’] v Rossijskij konstitucionalizm i sovremennye tendencii razvitija pravovoj sistemy: k 10-letiju prinjatija Konstitucii RF: sbortik materialov mezhdunarodnoj nauchno-prakticheskoj konferentsii [Russian Constitutionalism and Current Trends in the Legal System Development: to the 10th Anniversary of Adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation: Collected Materials of the International Scientific and Practical Conference], сh 1: Problemy formirovanija konstitucionnogo gosudarstva i rezhima konstitucionalizma v Rossii [Issues of Forming the Constitutional State and the Constitutionalism Regime in Russia] (Bel GU 2003) 36–9 (in Russian).

25. Shakarjan M, ‘Problemy dostupnosti i jeffektivnosti pravosudija v sudah obshhej jurisdikcii’ [‘Issues of Access to and Efficiency of Justice in General Jurisdiction Courts’] v Problemy dostupnosti i jeffektivnosti pravosudija v arbitrazhnom i grazhdanskom sudoproizvodstve: materialy Vserosijskoj nauchno-prakticheskoj konferentsii [Issues of Access to and Efficiency of Justice in Arbitration and Civil Court Procedure: Materials of the All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference] (Lidzhist 2001) 61–9 (in Russian).

Theses

 26. Pavlunyk I, ‘Predstavnytstvo v tsyvilnomu protsesi Ukrainy’ [‘Representation in Civil Procedure of Ukraine’] (avtoref dys kand yuryd nauk, 2002) (in Ukrainian).

Websites

 27. ‘Pravo na pravovu dopomohu’ [‘Right to Legal Aid’] (Konstytutsiinyi Sud Ukrainy) <http://ccu.gov.ua/storinka-knygy/4310-pravo-na-pravovu-dopomogu> (accessed: 06.07.2020) (in Ukrainian).