Disciplinary Ombudsman of the Judges of Common Courts

National Council of the Judiciary elects a disciplinary ombudsman of the judges of common courts and ensures proper conditions for pursuing his activities. Ombudsman acts under auspices of the National Council of the Judiciary within four-year term of office.

He is a legally entitled accuser at disciplinary court in cases concerning judges of appellate courts, as well as court presidents and vice-presidents of circuit courts. As regards cases concerning other judges, functions of accusers are performed by deputy disciplinary ombudsmen, elected by courts’ colleges from area of jurisdiction of each appellate and circuit court.

Disciplinary ombudsman is authorised to assume each case conducted by his deputies, if he considers that it is justified by the interest of administration of justice. Ombudsman undertakes disciplinary measures against a judge on a motion of the Minister of Justice, president of a appellate or circuit court or a court college, National Council of the Judiciary or on his own initiative.

For two terms of office, in the period between 17.01.2002 and 18.01.2010, the function of disciplinary ombudsman was performed by Paweł Misiak – judge of Court of Appeal in Łódź.

During its session on 12th January 2010, National Council of the Judiciary of Poland elected Maciej Żelazowski – judge of Court of Appeal in Szczecin, as a new disciplinary ombudsman of the judges of common courts, from amongst candidates presented by the general meetings of appellate judges (Resolution no. 4/2010).

Judge Maciej Żelazowski’s term of office as the disciplinary ombudsman of the judges of common courts begins on 19th January 2010 and goes on for four years, i.e. until 19th January 2014.