Review

The article discusses the reasons for a different approach to the evaluation of evidence in the review of court decisions in an appeal procedure and to an understanding of the principle of the directness of the research of evidence in a criminal proceeding. The reasons for the dispute and the arguments of the parties to the discussion are determined.

The purpose of the article is to establish the reasons for different understanding of the research and evaluation of evidence in the court of appellate instance, as well as the search for ways to improve the implementation of justice when reviewing court decisions in appeal proceedings in a criminal proceeding. To achieve the goal, the content of the main terms of the criminal-procedural legislation, the understanding of which is a controversy, has been determined and analyzed, as well as the decision of the Supreme Court of Ukraine and the point of view of specialists in the research and evaluation of evidence in the criminal process.

The study concludes that the Supreme Court of Ukraine’s view of the «directness of the research of evidence», which consists in the need for re-examination of evidence in the event of their revaluation by an appellate court, creates not only unpredictability in use, but also grounds for abuse of rights or powers as on the part of the participants, and the court itself. It has been determined that the Court of Appeal, when reviewing decisions of the first instance, is not entitled to re-examine the evidence that was the subject of a trial in the first instance court, except in cases clearly specified in Part 3 of Article 404 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Repeated receipt of testimony (interrogation) of participants in proceedings is possible only if it is necessary to obtain testimony on facts or circumstances that are relevant for criminal proceedings, which for objective reasons could not be the subject of research in the court of first instance.

It is also suggested that the legislator, using in part 3 of Art. 404 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, the phrase «re-examine the circumstances», included the evaluation of the evidence that had already been the subject of a trial in the first instance court. The above assumption is grounded on the fact that, firstly, it is not possible to research the circumstances without researching the relevant materials of the proceedings, including evidence, and, secondly, an evaluation is a prerequisite for the adoption of a procedural decision.

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