The role of procedure, proceeding and process in administrative and tort relations from the point of view of justice and the activity of public administration bodies

Abstract

The article analyzes the application of the concepts of ‘procedure’, ‘proceedings’ and ‘process’ in administrative-offense relations with the aim of determining the feasibility of granting courts the authority to consider cases of administrative offenses. The concept of ‘administrative process’ is disclosed in three well-known key aspects, distinguishing its general and specific features. It is determined that the process and proceedings, in a broad sense (as the activity of state bodies in general), are correlated as general and specific. Aspects of the concept of ‘administrative proceedings’ are identified. It is established that proceedings are part of the process, which may be interrupted, change subjects, i.e., the process consists of several proceedings, being their totality. It is proposed to consider proceedings as a certain period of time allocated for the consideration of a specific case. Instead, the procedure is a set of norms and rules regulated by legislation for subjects of any legal order in the understanding of Article 19 of the Constitution of Ukraine and in the context of the new legislation on administrative procedure. The characteristics of administrative procedure are disclosed. It is concluded that the administrative process is universal for any set of proceedings of state bodies, and this concept does not affect further research on the issue of excluding the consideration of cases of administrative offenses from judicial competence. In turn, the introduction by the legislator of the term ‘administrative procedure’ excludes the possibility of equating its rules and norms with judicial proceedings. It is analyzed that judicial procedures are provided for by procedural codes but do not define the specifics of considering cases of administrative offenses. It is determined that the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses does not meet the requirements for modern judicial procedures and is essentially more akin to a regulator of administrative procedure, which constituted the foundation of Soviet heritage. This dissonance is revealed through differences between judicial proceedings in the judicial process and the consideration of cases provided for in the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, including in decision forms, stages of consideration, etc. It is proposed to designate the consideration of cases of administrative offenses by the court as judicial proceedings and by other bodies as administrative procedure.

Keywords

• judicial process
• administrative offences
• administrative procedure
• administrative process
• administrative proceeding