Judicial robe: the invisible test of integrity begins after the oath.

According to inkorr.com: After taking the oath, the real trials for judges only begin - every decision they make becomes a test of integrity and independence. The public's trust in justice is linked to the daily work of the servants of Themis. This is written in her article in 'Ukrainian Truth' by the judge-speaker of the Northern Appeal Economic Court (NAEC) and candidate of legal sciences Marina Barsuk.

"We often talk about what a judge should be like and how difficult the path to the judiciary is. But what happens after the candidate puts on the robe? This is where the most difficult part starts - a daily, unnoticed test, the results of which society sees in its own life stories," said NAEC judge Marina Barsuk.

She emphasized that the selection and evaluation of candidates is just the first step, and the real test for a judge continues in real conditions.

The problem of staff shortages in courts

One of the main problems facing the judicial system is the staff shortage: courts are staffed at only 22% to 61% of the necessary number of judges. This creates a significant burden on those who remain.

"A judge who reviews dozens of cases a day physically cannot devote equal attention to each of them. But this is exactly what the parties and society expect. This is a direct challenge to the quality of justice," believes the judge of the Northern Appeal Economic Court.

Marina Barsuk stressed that society demands transparency and intelligibility in decisions.

Trust and independence as the basis of the judicial system

"A transparent and understandable decision is the strongest argument in favor of the integrity of the entire system (...) The path to trust is a marathon, not a sprint. Real reform happens every day in thousands of courtrooms across Ukraine. It manifests itself in the courage of the judge to remain faithful to the law despite pressure and in the clarity of each decision," writes Barsuk.

In the course of performing their duties, every judge undergoes an invisible test of integrity and independence. Transparency, fairness, and clarity of court decisions are the foundation of public trust in the judicial system. Although the staff shortage in courts remains a serious problem, its resolution is key to ensuring quality and fair justice.