Cars for a penny and forgotten trips to Russia: a candidate for the post of judge in Odesa was rejected

Natalia Rodriguez, a lawyer from Kryvyi Rih, tried to get a position as a judge in the Odesa Court of Appeal. Her candidacy was rejected due to doubts about her integrity and inconsistencies in her declarations.

The decision was made by the High Qualification Commission of Judges.

On Tuesday, February 3, the High Qualification Commission of Judges interviewed candidates for the positions of judges of the courts of appeal of general jurisdiction. Among the applicants was Natalia Rodriguez, a lawyer from Kryvyi Rih who previously headed a local free legal aid center. She applied for the position of a judge of the Court of Appeal in Odesa.

During the interview, the commission noted the candidate's good results in written tests and a practical task, but expressed serious doubts about her integrity.

In particular, Rodriguez had purchased two cars at prices well below market prices: A 2008 Skoda Octavia for $730 and a 2008 Porsche Cayenne for $1,660. When asked by the commission, she explained that the sellers had lowered the price on their own, and she acted as an ordinary citizen and did not intend to conceal the amount.

The commission members also found inconsistencies in the integrity declarations. The candidate noted that she had not visited Russia and occupied Crimea since 2014, although the Border Guard Service data shows that she had traveled in 2018 and 2019. Rodriguez explained this by family circumstances and "forgetfulness".

At the same time, the candidate served in the Armed Forces after the start of the full-scale invasion, and by the beginning of 2025, she announced her dismissal. Due to questionable data in her declarations and inconsistencies in her travels, the High Qualification Commission of Judges rejected her candidacy for the position of a judge of the Odesa Court of Appeal.

In January, the High Council of Justice decided to uphold the motion of the First Disciplinary Chamber to dismiss a judge from Odesa for a disciplinary violation. He is suspected of attempting to bribe a colleague and bribery.

Анна Бальчінос