| Abstract [eng] |
The system of administrative courts was formed in Lithuania not long ago. Administrative courts were established in Lithuania in the year 1999. Since the year 2001, the administrative courts were united into an independent system of courts. Before the establishment of the system of administrative courts in Lithuania, all legal disputes, including those arising from administrative legal relations were settled by courts of general competence. Now decisions on the classification of cases are passed by the Board of Justice. Administrative courts examine disputes in the sphere of public administration. If a state institution or officer violates rights of a private person or a group of persons in course of fulfilling the functions entrusted to such an institution or officer or failure to fulfil them, the person or the group of person can apply to an administrative court. Examination of cases related to violations of the administrative law aggravates the activities of administrative courts bound with the goal of their establishment, so such cases should be examined by courts of general competence that fully protect the principal rights of the person having committed the violation. Administrative courts are engaged in examining a legitimacy of acts of administrative law, i.e. in controlling the activities of executive authorities to a certain extent. The system of administrative courts in Lithuania is many-stage. In contradistinction to courts of general competence, it does not include an institute of cassation. As it may be seen from the functions attributed to specialized administrative courts and the statistics of the cases examined, the number of administrative cases increases annually. Administrative courts form the uniform practice of courts; they strive to ensure lawful activities of institutions engaged in public administration and contribute to formation of a system of public administration. Administrative courts form the public opinion on the responsibility of institutions engaged in public administration and controlling of their activities. These courts are turning into very important creators of administrative law and correctors of breaches and other imperfections of this law. So, both the activities of institutions engaged in public administration and ensuring of human rights and freedoms by the said institutions and legal defence are important. |
