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1992 — the judiciary of independent Ukraine is established after the Soviet Union’s collapse.
2001 — President Leonid Kuchma’s “small judicial reform.”
2010 — President Viktor Yanukovych establishes authoritarian control over the judiciary by stripping the Supreme Court of major powers and transferring them to loyal courts and by stacking the Constitutional Court with his proteges.
2014 — The law on the restoration of trust in the judiciary on the dismissal of judges who unlawfully persecuted demonstrators of the EuroMaidan Revolution, which drove Yanukovych from power on Feb. 22, 2014. However, so far only 34 of 351 judges involved in EuroMaidan cases have been fired and 29 have been suspended.
2015 — The law to guarantee the right to a fair trial bans discredited Yanukovych-era court chairpersons from being elected for more than two two-year terms but a bizarre legal interpretation enables them to become chairpersons for a third, fourth and even fifth time.
June-July 2016 — Poroshenko signs legislation on the current judicial reform, including the creation of a new Supreme Court.
February-March 2017 — Anonymous testing of Supreme Court candidates for professional skills and practical tests.
April-May 2017 — Interviews with Supreme Court candidates, psychological testing of candidates.
June-July 2017 — The High Qualification Commission overrides 75 percent of vetoes by the Public Integrity Council on judges deemed to be corrupt or dishonest, then nominates a final list of 120 candidates.
July 2017 — Poroshenko signs a law that effectively gives him full control over the Constitutional Court.
Sept 14, 2017 — The High Council of Justice starts considering Supreme Court candidates
Sept. 25, 2017 — The High Council of Justice finishes consideration of Supreme Court candidates.
Sept. 29, 2017 – The High Council of Justice appoints 111 Supreme Court judges, including 25 candidates deemed corrupt or dishonest by the Public Integrity Council. Poroshenko will have a symbolic right to sign their credentials.
