The Assessment of the Responsibility of Judges in Practice

Abstract

Act VIII of 1871 regulated the disciplinary responsibility of judges. Two categories of disciplinary offences were determined by the legislator. One group was the malfeasances, which were enumerated by the act itemised. If somebody committed a malfeasance, which was specified
by this paragraph of the act, criminal procedure had to be started against him, consequently these actions were offences. The other group of disciplinary offences according to the act was infringements while in office. This category included actions when the judge failed in his duty, but did not want to cause damage purposely. Nevertheless all the actions were infringements while in office which impaired the prestige of court and confidence in court. We are not able to determine these infringements exactly on the basis of the act, therefore the author examined the documents of Appeal Court in Szeged, in which cases the disciplinary court stated facts of disciplinary offences.