Civil procedure reform: The way forward

This article is based on a report evaluating the implementation of the new Ukrainian Civil and Commercial Procedural Codes. A multiple-choice questionnaire and an additional questionnaire for conducting in-depth interviews with selected stakeholders were used in order to collect data (see Appendix). This approach allowed for the identification of problematic areas in procedure and court organisation, for the collection and statistical elaboration of data on the implementation of the Codes, and for the identification of measures to improve court practice and organisation and, consequently, for enhancing trust in the judicial system.

For the purposes of the report, monitoring tools were complemented by court visits, bilateral interviews, and roundtables in different regions of Ukraine. These additional sources of information enabled the experts to develop informed observations on the specifics of the Codes and on the framework of their implementation. The research has resulted in a set of recommendations which are listed in the conclusion of this paper.