Supreme Court intervenes in dispute between judges and lawyers, demands restoration of trust in the justice system
The Supreme Court of Greece (Areios Pagos) has stepped into the dispute between the Association of Judges and Prosecutors of Greece and the Plenary of Presidents of the State Bar Associations, calling for the restoration of a climate of trust in the administration of justice. The Court warned that any continued repetition of the same behaviours will be evaluated as an affront to Justice and to citizens.
According to the Supreme Court's announcement, recent developments — coinciding with elections in the country's Bar Associations and the upcoming General Assembly of the Association of Judges and Prosecutors — have seen reciprocal public statements that create an (artificial) tension between judicial officers and lawyers. These tensions have been sparked by dissatisfaction with certain judicial decisions, rulings, or by judicial findings expressed in the course of their adjudicatory duties.
The Court stressed that both judges and lawyers, as co-actors in the administration of justice, must first and foremost safeguard the independence of the Judiciary, which is the cornerstone of a law-abiding society and must be protected by all.
The statement emphasizes that protecting institutions and those involved in the administration of justice cannot serve as a justification for conduct that violates ethical rules. It adds that extra‑institutional actions of this type are neither useful nor beneficial; on the contrary, they harm the judges and lawyers they ostensibly seek to protect.
The Supreme Court reminded all parties that procedures for controlling and disciplining unlawful conduct are firmly established under specific provisions of the Constitution, the Code of Court Organization and the Code of Lawyers, and that these procedures are operational. Consequently, behaviours or acts that run counter to the rule of law or attempt to create faits accomplis are not acceptable.
The Court expects an immediate response from the involved bodies and their representatives to restore trust in the administration of justice. It concluded that any continuation of the same behaviours will be regarded as an insult to Justice and to the citizens.
