Form

Your application must be submitted in writing, but you do not need to fill in a specific form.

Language

The working language of the Constitutional Court is Latvian. All documents have to be submitted either in Latvian or submitted together with an official translation into Latvian. The Court will not give you an interpreter during the proceedings. If you don’t speak or understand Latvian and you need an interpreter, you have to arrange for the interpreter and pay for his/her services yourself.

Content

In your application you need to clearly indicate:

  • the name of the applicant (your name)
  • the name of the institution which has issued the law or regulation about which you are complaining (for example, for all laws, it will be the Parliament of Latvia – Latvijas Republikas Saeima)
  • the facts of your situation (what has happened)
  • legal arguments supporting your claim that your rights have been violated
  • what you are asking the Constitutional Court to declare

Try to write about the facts and issues which are related to the violation you are complaining about only. To help the Constitutional Court to better understand the situation, try to keep the text simple, focused, well-reasoned and avoid emotional or derogatory language.

Documents

You have to add all the documents (especially complaints you have made and the responses you received) that are related to the situation you are complaining about to your application. All documents have to be submitted either in Latvian or submitted together with an official translation into Latvian.

Time limits

The application to the Constitutional Court must be sent within 6 months of the last decision by a state authority or court in your situation. If there is no institution to which to complain, the time limit is measured from the date the potential violation took place.

Address

Applications must be sent to the following address:

The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia (Satversmes tiesa)
1 Jura Alunāna iela
Riga, LV-1010
Latvia

Legal aid

You are not entitled to free legal aid before the Constitutional Court. If you need a lawyer to help you prepare your application or to represent you in the court, you have to pay for the services of the lawyer yourself. To apply to the Constitutional Court you do not need a lawyer, but it is important to remember that the Court can refuse to accept your complaint if it considers that the legal arguments are not clear or sufficient.

Human Rights Guide

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