The Supreme Court in the 2nd Republic of Poland

Bogumił Szmulik

Abstract

This publication is intended to present the institution of the Supreme Court in the 20-years’ inter-war period. The deliberations start with introducing the beginnings of this institution, dating back to the period of the First World War. The proper operation of the Supreme Court as the court of the highest instance in independent Poland was initiated by the Decree on the Supreme Court, dated February 8th, 1919, passed by the Chief of State. The Supreme Court did not include a military chamber, thus the Supreme Military Court was established at the turn of 1918 and 1919. The Supreme Court did not experience significant changes over the following years and retained its superior position, even after the Law on Structure of the Common Courts was passed in 1928. Its main function in the discussed period was to oversee court jurisdiction to enforce uniform application of the law. Even the passing of the April Constitution, defining new rules and state tendencies, did not significantly affect the Supreme Court’s operation. The operation of the Supreme Court was interrupted by the Second World War for a period between September 5th, 1939 and January 26th, 1945. Pursuant to the Ordinance of the General Governor dated February 19th, 1940, the court was deemed “temporarily” inoperative. Then, a liquidation commission for the Supreme Court was appointed. The commission finished its work in 1941.