A new judge has been nominated to the Odessa Court of Appeals

The High Council of Justice approved Valeriy Sopilnyak’s nomination for appointment as a judge of the Odesa Court of Appeals. 

According to the High Council of Justice’s press office, the decision was adopted at a Council meeting, after which a nomination for his appointment will be submitted to the President of Ukraine.

Fourteen members of the High Council of Justice voted in favor of Sopilnyak’s candidacy; none voted against it.

 The Judicial and Legal Gazette reported that the Council has not yet completed its review of all candidates for the Odesa Court of Appeals.

Ruslan Abukhin’s request to postpone consideration of his candidacy due to health reasons was granted. Regarding Dmytro Kyian and Pavlo Prokhorov, the members of the High Council of Justice announced a recess to further examine the circumstances. They plan to return to these matters on August 11, 2026.

Valerii Sopilnyak holds a law degree, which he earned from the National Academy of Internal Affairs in 1999.

He began his career in 1995 with the internal affairs agencies. He subsequently worked as a legal advisor and court clerk, held leadership positions at the Odesa Regional Commercial Court, and headed the law firm “Lex Knowledge.” He received his attorney’s license in 2001.

During the qualification assessment, the candidate scored 712.41 points. The High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine concluded that he meets the criteria of professional ethics and integrity and is capable of administering justice in the court of appeals.

Previously, the Public Integrity Council had raised certain questions regarding the candidate’s financial status, specifically the purchase of an Audi Q7 in 2016 and the omission of information about his membership in the National Bar Association of Ukraine from several declarations.

After analyzing the materials and the candidate’s explanations, the High Council of Justice found no circumstances that would indicate his failure to meet the criteria of integrity, professional ethics, or the lawful origin of his assets.

Ірина Глухова