Practice of law

In one case, a lay judge failed to declare that she was the sister of the defence lawyer. The resignation or retirement of a lay judge, by law, returns the trial to the beginning, costing often months or even years of court time.

Judges and prosecutors have to display poise and wisdom when posting online, because their opinions influence society's perception of the judiciary, reads one of the conclusions of a conference to release good practice guidance for magistrates using social media or online platforms.

Deputy Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev remains the only Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) nomination for Prosecutor General, BGNES reported. According to Justice Minister Danail Kirilov, only one nomination is a historic event.

The Justice Ministry is to resume the selection procedure for bids to the position of Romania's attorney general, Justice Minister Tudorel Toader confirmed to AGERPRES on Wednesday. The decision was made after the selection board chaired by Toader rejected the four candidates who had filed bids: Augustin Lazar, Marian Drilea, Gabriela Scutea and Daniel Horodniceanu.

Former Romania's chief anti-graft prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi on Monday morning reported to Bucharest Police Precinct 18 to sign for court supervision in a court case in which she is accused of abuse of office, bribe taking and false testimony related to the repatriation of controversial former chief investor Nicolae Popa.

Former prosecutor-in-chief of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) Laura Codruta Kovesi said on Saturday that Justice in Romania is going through a "difficult time" and this is the signal given by the magistrates who have protested lately. "Justice in Romania is now at a very difficult point and I do not know if we can manage to overcome this moment on our own.

The prosecutors with the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Bucharest Court of Appeals decided on Tuesday to stand in solidarity with the magistrates' actions against the adoption of Government Emergency ordinance (OUG) No.7/2019 which amends the Justice Laws.

The Special Section for Magistrates' Investigation argues that the speculations that surfaced in the press regarding the political influences regarding the case opened on the name of Laura Codruta Koves "represent serious and totally unfounded attacks" and the accreditation of the idea that the section takes action as "a firing squad" has "an extremely dangerous pressure" over prosecuto

The bodies of two suspected victims of a crime-ridden family in Turkey's west remain missing, as the prosecutor announced Jan. 14 that the probe has been expanded. 

Police have launched an investigation into the deaths of a 34-year-old policeman and his 23-year-old girlfriend whose bodies were found in the former's home in Porto Heli, on the eastern coast of the Peloponnese.

According to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, police are not treating the incident as a possible crime, though a coroner was to determine the cause of death.