State Tribunal in legal quandary over judicial immunity

For the first time in its history, the State Tribunal will have to decide whether to remove the immunity of one of its judges. The case regards Krzysztof Sniegocki, who was elected judge on the recommendation of the Polish Peasants Party (PSL) in October 2001. Sniegocki failed to inform the party of the fact that for several years there had been a legal case conducted by the public prosecutor against him regarding, among other things, defrauding of money from Olgierd B., one of the members of the Krokus housing cooperative in which Sniegocki is head of the supervisory board. Under current law, if a candidate for a judge's bench is accused in a criminal case in which a guilty verdict is not reached, the candidate can still become a member of the Tribunal. PSL members admitted that if Sniegocki's past legal problems had been known to them, they would have sought a different candidate. Olgierd B. has filed a motion with the chairman of the Tribunal asking for permission to sue Sniegocki. However, ridding Sniegocki of immunity will not be easy, as there are no regulations in the law that prescribe such a process. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 6) P.J.