The High Council of Justice dismissed a judge from Odesa region who systematically closed drunk driving cases citing "insignificance"
The High Council of Justice dismissed Judge Oleg Ivinsky for systematic violations of the law when considering cases of driving vehicles under the influence of alcohol.
Case circumstances
The High Council of Justice received two disciplinary complaints — from the Patrol Police Department (March 5, 2024) and from T.V. Chyzhyk (June 27, 2025). The investigation established that Judge Ivinsky regularly closed proceedings under Part 1 of Article 130 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses in 2024–2025 citing "insignificance," limiting himself to an oral warning. At the same time, the article’s sanction is mandatory and provides for a fine with deprivation of the right to drive for a period of at least one year.
The Disciplinary Chamber found gross violations:
- The judge systematically applied Article 22 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses despite a direct prohibition on its use in drunk driving cases;
- Practiced double publication of rulings on the same cases with contradictory operative parts (one version imposing punishment, the other closing the proceedings);
- Recorded contradictory facts in rulings: in the "mitigating" versions, the offender allegedly "admitted guilt and sincerely repented," while in the "punitive" versions, they did not appear in court;
- 25 cases were reviewed. Only in two cases was there evidence that the person was a serviceman. The judge’s arguments regarding the "state need for drivers" during martial law were deemed unfounded.
The Second Disciplinary Chamber qualified the judge’s actions as intentional disregard of mandatory legal norms, extraprocedural alteration of court decisions, systematic distortion of factual circumstances, and substitution of the law with his own assessments of expediency. According to the body, such violations indicate a loss of ability to administer justice and discredit the authority of the judiciary.
Appeal of the decision
As reported by the "Judicial and Legal Newspaper," Judge Oleg Ivinsky of the Podilskyi City District Court of Odesa region appealed the decision of the Second Disciplinary Panel of the High Council of Justice dated April 8, 2026, regarding his disciplinary liability and the imposition of a sanction in the form of a submission for dismissal.
The High Council of Justice reviewed the appeal and upheld the decision of the Second Disciplinary Panel, confirming the presence of systematic violations of the law by the judge in cases involving driving under the influence.
Decision of the High Council of Justice
The High Council of Justice supported the submission of the Second Disciplinary Panel and decided to dismiss Oleg Ivinsky from the position of judge of the Podilskyi City District Court of Odesa region.
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