CRIMINAL AND DISCIPLINARY RESPONSIBILITY OF JUDGES

U radu se, uz navođenje primjera iz prakse i statističkih podataka o stegovnim povredama i kaznama, analiziraju kaznena i stegovna odgovornost sudaca, te utjecaj navedenih odgovornosti na rad i ponašanje sudaca. Stav je autora da ne postoje pravni ni drugi opravdani razlozi za normiranje posebnog kaznenog djela „kršenje zakona“ od suca, budući da se sva kršenja zakona u obavljanju sudačke dužnosti mogu svesti pod postojeće kazneno djelo zloupotrebe položaja i ovlasti. U poglavlju o stegovnoj odgovornosti daje se prikaz tijela nadležnih za pokretanje i vođenje stegovnog postupka, pravila stegovnog postupka, opis stegovnih djela i kazni, opisuju uvjeti za udaljenje sudaca od obavljanja sudačke dužnosti, te se preispituje učinkovitost pravne zaštite sudaca protiv kojih se vodi stegovni postupak. Autori predlažu da se napravi razlika lakših i težih stegovnih povreda, izradi poseban stegovni postupovnik, da se opoziv uvjetne osude veže uz težinu nove povrede, da se formira zasebno tijelo stegovnog progona te odredi rok u kojem se stegovni postupak mora završiti, odnosno može voditi.In this paper, the author gives examples from the practice and statistical data on disciplinary violations and penalties, as well as analyses criminal and disciplinary responsibility of judges and the influence of the said responsibilities on their work and behaviour. The author claims that there are no legal or other reasonable grounds for standardizing the specific criminal offense of “violation of law” by a judge, considering that all violations of law in performing judicial duties can be brought under the existing criminal offence of the abuse of position and authority. In the chapter on disciplinary responsibility, the author presents an overview of the authorities competent for initiating and conducting disciplinary proceedings, the rules of disciplinary proceedings, the description of disciplinary offenses and penalties, as well as describes the terms and conditions for suspension of judges from performing judicial duties. The author proposes the following: distinguishing between minor and severe disciplinary violations, drafting special disciplinary rules of procedure, relating the revocation of suspended sentence with the severity of new violation, establishing separate body for the disciplinary prosecution, and specifying the period within which the disciplinary proceedings have to be completed