ABOUT THE COURT
A new court system of general jurisdiction of the Republic of Lithuania was confirmed by the State Council of Lithuania with their first law approved in 1918. It was called The Law on Lithuanian Courts and their Organization Arrangement. According to the law, there were three level courts and their competence. The lowest division consisted of Justices of the Peace, who were appointed for a separate district or town. Every Justice of the Peace had a territory of his / her responsibility, which was called a Justice of the Peace precinct. A Justice of the Peace was responsible for minor civil cases and criminal cases.
The second division in the system of courts comprised regional courts. They were in charge of hearing different kinds of cases. They also functioned as appeal instance for cases heard by Justices of the Peace.
The Chief Tribunal of Lithuania was the highest instance in the court system. As the court of first instance it heard cases of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Prime Minister and other members of the Government. It also was appeal instance for cases heard by regional courts. The Chief Tribunal of Lithuania was the final instance for making decisions and judgements.
The I Justice of the Peace Precinct in Utena was established on 14 June, 1919. It performed its functions until 1934.
The II Justice of the Peace Precinct in Utena district (under the name of Anykščiai Precinct of Justice of the Peace) was established in 1922. It functioned until 30 January, 1924.
The II Justice of the Peace Precinct in Utena district was established in 1932 and it operated till 1934. Justice of the Peace Precincts I and II were closed and Utena District Court was established on 1 January, 1934. District Court of Utena performed its functions from 1 January, 1934 to 3 August, 1940.
In 1940, Utena People’s Court I and Utena People’s Court II were established. They carried out their functions from 22 June, 1940 to 22 June, 1941. Later, the titles of courts changed many times: District Court of Utena, I People’s Court of Utena, II People’s Court of Utena District, etc.
On 30 May, 1951, People’s Court of Utena District was established. It stopped working on 27 September, 1990.
Throughout the two-year period from 1990 to 1992, District Court of Utena proceeded with its work.
10 April, 1992 marks the foundation of District Court of Utena Region, which, in 2018, was named District Court of Utena. On January 1, 2018, the judicial reform was started in Lithuania. After the reorganization of courts, District courts of Utena, Molėtai, Anykščiai, Ignalina, Visaginas and Zarasai were merged into one district court centre (with 6 Court Chambers), namely District Court of Utena.
The court area and premises haven’t changed since 1989. District Court of Utena together with the Chamber of Utena is located in a three-storey building in Utena, J.Basanavičiaus st.65.
In the Chamber of Utena, the principal Chamber of this court, there is one reception office, where people can submit their documents and initiate court proceedings. The submitted documents are routinely spread among court chambers where each case is assigned. Also, there are 5 courtrooms, juvenile interrogation room, court office, and work offices for judges, their assistants, court officers and staff members. The court archives were moved to Molėtai (Vilnius st. 41) in 2018. There are 26 positions of judges in this court.
