Lietas ierosināšanas kasācijas kārtībā tiesiskā regulējuma attīstība un piemērošanas problēmaspekti Latvijas kriminālprocesā

The chapter examines the significance of cassation proceedings as an essential instrument of legal protection in the Latvian criminal process, ensuring the review of lower courts’ decisions for compliance with legal norms. The cassation instance court, which may be the Supreme Court or the Senate, is responsible for reviewing cassation complaints and protests. In addition to this, it develops case law, thereby enhancing the overall quality and credibility of the judicial system. The author undertakes a thorough analysis of the legal framework governing the initiation of cassation proceedings from 1 October 2005 to 1 June 2025, meticulously highlighting the most significant changes that have transpired and providing a comprehensive examination of the prevailing issues that impact the efficiency and legality of cassation proceedings. The chapter offers a comprehensive overview of the appeal procedure in the cassation instance, including the stipulated deadlines for submitting cassation complaints and protests. It also delves into the procedural nuances of initiating cassation proceedings and the grounds for refusal to do so. The emphasis is placed on the fact that the cassation process is limited in scope, with the primary objective being to ensure the uniform application of legal norms and the stability of case law. Concurrently, the author undertakes an analysis of procedural guarantees for participants, encompassing the extension of deadlines for the submission of cassation complaints and protests, in addition to the augmentation of petitioning opportunities to the Supreme Court in instances of substantial violations of substantive or procedural norms. The author also observes that, over the past two decades, criminal procedural regulation has undergone a gradual transition from a model that facilitates broader access to cassation proceedings to a more restricted model, where greater importance is attributed to the existence of case law and the significance of the case. The text accentuates the role of cassation proceedings as a guarantor of legality, and the ongoing necessity to enhance both legal regulation and practical comprehension of the criteria and requirements of the cassation process. This, it is argued, is essential to ensure a fair, efficient, and high-quality judicial system.