Supreme Court suspends proceedings pending EU Court preliminary ruling on judge independence and impartiality requirements.

Polish Supreme Court refers to EU Court on judge independence and impartiality in disciplinary proceedings. The court seeks clarification on whether a randomly selected bench is 'established by law' if a judge was nominated via flawed procedure.

krajowy Sąd Najwyższy w szczególnym postępowaniu zainicjowanym przez stronę wnioskiem o zbadanie spełnienia przez sędziego Sądu Najwyższego - wyznaczonego do składu rozpoznającego sprawę dyscyplinarną dotyczącą sędziego sądu powszechnego - wymogów niezawisłości i bezstronności, ma obowiązek zbadania z urzędu, czy wyznaczony w drodze losowania spośród całego składu Sądu Najwyższego skład orzekający jest także sądem „ustanowionym uprzednio ustawą”;

Polish Supreme Court refers to EU Court regarding judge independence and impartiality requirements in disciplinary proceedings. The court seeks clarification on whether a randomly selected bench must be pre-established by law and if judges appointed via flawed nomination procedures compromise the entire bench's independence under EU law. The court decided to refer questions to the CJEU to determine if a flawed nomination process invalidates the entire five-member bench or only the specific judges involved, and whether the remaining judges can ensure a fair trial under Article 19(1) TEU and Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. The court's decision was to refer the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union for a preliminary ruling on the interpretation of EU law regarding the independence and impartiality of the Polish Supreme Court's disciplinary bench. The court decided as it did because the issue of whether a flawed nomination procedure invalidates the entire bench or only the specific judges involved requires a uniform interpretation of EU law to ensure the right to a fair trial and the independence of the judiciary. The court referred the case to the CJEU to obtain a preliminary ruling on the interpretation of EU law regarding the independence and impartiality of the Polish Supreme Court's disciplinary bench. The court decided as it did because the issue of whether a flawed nomination procedure invalidates the entire bench or only the specific judges involved requires a uniform interpretation of EU law to ensure the right to a fair trial and the independence of the judiciary. The court referred the case to the CJEU to obtain a preliminary ruling on the interpretation of EU law regarding the independence and impartiality of the Polish Supreme Court's disciplinary bench. The court decided as it did because the issue of whether a flawed nomination procedure invalidates the entire bench or only the specific judges involved requires a uniform interpretation of EU law to ensure the right to a fair trial and the independence of the judiciary.