A training and methodological seminar on the topic: "Current issues of supervision over the legality of court decisions in civil cases" was held at the Vitebsk Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The training event was attended by the First Deputy Prosecutor of the region Korzhov I.N., Judge of the Vitebsk Regional Court Ostrikova M.V., Head of the Department for Supervision of Compliance with the Law of Judicial Decisions in Civil Cases Titkova I.N., Deputy Head of the Department Sashcheko A.G., Senior Prosecutor of the said Department Dukhnova M.V., Prosecutor of the Department Tavtyn I.A., assistants, senior assistants, deputy prosecutors of cities and districts of the Vitebsk region, carrying out civil and judicial supervision.

The seminar was opened by the First Deputy Prosecutor of the region Korzhov I.N., who defined the main tasks of prosecuting supervision over compliance with the law of judicial decisions in civil cases, and emphasized the significance of this area of activity.

Judge of the Vitebsk Regional Court Ostrikova M.V. pointed out that from 21.07.2018, the institution of appellate proceedings is being introduced in civil proceedings, which is designed to create additional guarantees for the issuance of a lawful and well-founded judicial act. The prosecutor is assigned a significant role in this process. According to Art. 418 of the Civil Procedure Code of the Republic of Belarus, the appellate court will consider the case within the scope of the arguments set forth in the appeal or protest. The period for filing an appeal protest will be 15 days from the date of the decision or the preparation of its reasoned part. These changes will provide the court of second instance with a sufficiently wide range of opportunities. In particular, the appellate court will be able to interrogate witnesses, specialists, and experts.

The requirements for organizing work on supervision of compliance with the law of judicial decisions in civil cases, taking into account the introduction of appeals in civil proceedings, were brought to the attention of the attendees by Titkova I.N.

The seminar also featured speeches by:

- Deputy Head of the Department Sashcheko A.G., who presented the judicial and prosecutorial practice on claims for compensation for damages caused by unlawful actions of state bodies conducting criminal and administrative proceedings;

- Senior Prosecutor of the Department Dukhnova M.V., who highlighted the features of considering

judges of civil cases on complaints (protests) against the decisions, actions (inaction) of bailiffs;

- Prosecutor of the department Tavtyn I.A., who reported the results of the generalization of judicial and prosecutorial practice in cases of deprivation of parental rights, removal of children, and restoration of parental rights.

Seminar participants heard and discussed the opinion of the Deputy Prosecutor of Lepel District Demidovets A.V., expressed by him during the consideration of a civil case on a claim for compensation for damages caused by unlawful actions of state bodies conducting criminal and administrative proceedings, as well as the opinion of the Deputy Prosecutor of Sharkovshchyna District Kucherin M.O. on a civil case on a claim for deprivation of parental rights.

In order to improve professional activities, practical exercises were conducted to solve relevant tasks. Seminar participants touched upon problematic issues arising during the consideration of civil cases, exchanged work experience in carrying out prosecutorial supervision in this area, and discussed current issues arising in prosecutorial and judicial practice.

In the final part of the seminar, the Head of the Department Titkova I.N. made proposals for improving activities aimed at increasing the quality of case review within cassation periods, preparing well-reasoned and substantiated cassation, and subsequently - appellate protests.

 A. Sashcheko, M. Dukhnova