# Ministry of Justice (Latvia)

The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia, established in 1918, holds the prominent position as the primary state governing body responsible for overseeing matters related to justice. It serves as the supreme authority for subordinate public administration institutions operating within the justice sector.
At the political level, the Ministry is headed by the Minister of Justice. The ministry receives support from the Secretary of State. The State Secretary assumes essential responsibilities, including organizing the development of sectoral policies and strategies, implementing sectoral policies, managing administrative tasks within the institution, and coordinating the execution of the Ministry's functions.

## List of ministers
### Republic of Latvia (1918–1940)

Minister of Justice (1918–1940) :
| # | First name, surname (Date of birth – Date of death) | Term of office | Political party / affiliation | The Cabinet of Ministers | Notes |
| 1 | Pēteris Juraševskis (1872–1942) | 19 November 1918 – 14 March 1919 | not known | Latvian Provisional Government | |
| 2 | Eduards Strautnieks (1886–1946) | 14 March 1919 – 13 July 1919 | Latvian Republican Party | Latvian Provisional Government | |
| 3 | Edvins Magnus (1888–1974) | 14 July 1919 – 8 December 1919 | German-Baltic Reform Party | Latvian Provisional Government | |
| 4 | Kārlis Pauļuks (1870–1945) | 9 December 1919 – 11 June 1920 | Latvian Farmers' Union | Latvian Provisional Government | |
| 5 | Rūdolfs Bēnuss (1881–1940) | 12 June 1920 – 18 June 1921 | Workers' Party | First Ulmanis cabinet | |
| 6 | Vilis Holcmanis (1889–1941) | 19 June 1921 – 26 January 1924 | Union of Social Democrats – Mensheviks and Rural Workers | First Meierovics cabinet | |
| 6 | Vilis Holcmanis (1889–1941) | 19 June 1921 – 26 January 1924 | Union of Social Democrats – Mensheviks and Rural Workers | Second Meierovics cabinet | |
| 6 | Vilis Holcmanis (1889–1941) | 19 June 1921 – 26 January 1924 | Union of Social Democrats – Mensheviks and Rural Workers | Pauļuks cabinet | |
| 6 | Vilis Holcmanis (1889–1941) | 19 June 1921 – 26 January 1924 | Union of Social Democrats – Mensheviks and Rural Workers | Third Meierovics cabinet | |
| 7 | Voldemārs Zāmuēls (1872–1948) | 25 January 1924 – 10 April 1924 | Democratic Center | Zāmuels cabinet | |
| 8 | Julījs Arājs (1884–1967) | 10 April 1924 – 17 December 1924 | Democratic Center | Zāmuels cabinet | |
| 17 December 1924 – 3 March 1925, nobody accepted the post. | 17 December 1924 – 3 March 1925, nobody accepted the post. | 17 December 1924 – 3 March 1925, nobody accepted the post. | 17 December 1924 – 3 March 1925, nobody accepted the post. | First Celmiņš cabinet |
| (1.) | Pēteris Juraševskis (1872–1942) | Mar – 23 December 1925 | Democratic Centre | First Celmiņš cabinet | 2nd time |
| 24 December 1925 – 26 January 1926, nobody accepted the post | 24 December 1925 – 26 January 1926, nobody accepted the post | 24 December 1925 – 26 January 1926, nobody accepted the post | 24 December 1925 – 26 January 1926, nobody accepted the post | Second Ulmanis cabinet |
| 9 | Ansis Petrevics (1882–1941) | 26 January 1926 – 6 May 1926 | National Union | Second Ulmanis cabinet |
| 10 | Erasts Bite (1880–1942) | 7 May 1926 – 26 October 1927 | Democratic Centre | Alberings cabinet | |
| 11 | Juris Pabērzs (1891–1961) | 27 November 1927 – 14 November 1927 | Progressive People's Association | Alberings cabinet | |
| 11 | Juris Pabērzs (1891–1961) | 27 November 1927 – 14 November 1927 | Progressive People's Association | First Skujenieks cabinet | |
| First Skujenieks cabinet ||||
| (3.) | Edvins Magnuss (1888–1974) | 24 January 1928 – 30 November 1928 | German-Baltic Reform Party | Juraševskis cabinet | 2nd time |
| 12 | Baldvins Disterlo (1869–1937) | 1 December 1928 – 23 January 1929 | German-Baltic Reform Party | Second Celmiņš cabinet | |
| 13 | Bernhards Bērents (1892–1946) | 24 January 1929 – 27 November 1929 | German-Baltic Reform Party | Second Celmiņš cabinet | |
| Second Celmiņš cabinet |||||
| (11.) | Juris Pabērzs (1891–1961) | 19 December 1929 – 5 December 1931 | Progressive people's association (until 14 June 1931) | Second Celmiņš cabinet | 2nd time |
| (11.) | Juris Pabērzs (1891–1961) | 19 December 1929 – 5 December 1931 | Latgale Progressive Farmers Association (from 14 June 1931) | Third Ulmanis cabinet | 2nd time |
| 14 | Atis Ķeniņš (1874–1961) | 6 December 1931 – 23 March 1933 | Democratic Center | Second Skujenieks cabinet | |
| 15 | Antons Ozols (1878–1956) | 24 March 1933 – 16 March 1934 | Christian National Union | Bļodnieks cabinet | |
| 16 | Jānis Balodis (1881–1965) | 17 March 1934 – 15 May 1934 | Latvian Farmers' Union | Fourth Ulmanis cabinet | |
| 17 | Hermanis Apsītis (1893–1942) | 16 May 1934 – 19 June 1940 | No party affiliation | Fifth Ulmanis cabinet | |
| (11.) | Juris Pabērzs (1891–1961) | 21 June 1940 – 21 July 1940 | No party affiliation | Kirhenšteins cabinet | 3rd time |

### Soviet Socialist Republic of Latvia (1940–1990)

Minister of Justice (1940–1990) :
| # | First name, surname (Lifespan) | Term of office | Political party / affiliation |
| - | Andrejs Jablonsis (1880–1951) | 13 August 1940 – March 1951 | Latvian Communist Party |
| - | Emīlija Veinberga (1896–1989) [1st female] | March 1951 – October 1959 | Latvian Communist Party |
| - | Jānis Dzenītis (1929–2001) | October 1970 – March 1980 | Latvian Communist Party |
| - | Vladimirs Laiviņš (1940–1991) | March 1980 – January 1985 | Latvian Communist Party |
| - | Janis Salenieks (b. 1948) | January 1985 – July 1988 | Latvian Communist Party |
| - | Viktors Skudra (1943–2011) | July 1988 – 7 May 1990 | Latvian Communist Party |

### Republic of Latvia (1990–present day)

Minister for Justice (1990–present) :
| # | First name, surname (Lifespan) | Term of office | Political party / affiliation | The Cabinet of Ministers | Notes |
| 18. | Viktors Skudra (1943–2011) | 5 June 1990 – 18 May 1993 | Latvian People's Front | Council of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia | |
| 19. | Egils Levits (b. 1955) | 8 March 1993 – 19 September 1994 | Latvian Way | Birkavs cabinet | |
| 20. | Romāns Apsītis (1939–2022) | 19 September 1994 – 21 December 1995 | Latvian Way | Gailis cabinet | |
| 21 | Dzintars Rasnačs (b. 1963) | 21 December 1995 – 26 November 1998 | For Fatherland and Freedom (until 7 August 1997) | First Šķēle cabinet | |
| 21 | Dzintars Rasnačs (b. 1963) | 21 December 1995 – 26 November 1998 | For Fatherland and Freedom (until 7 August 1997) | Second Šķēle cabinet | |
| 21 | Dzintars Rasnačs (b. 1963) | 21 December 1995 – 26 November 1998 | For Fatherland and Freedom / LNNK (from 7 August 1997) | Krasts cabinet | |
| 22 | Ingrīda Labucka (b. 1963) | 26 November 1998 – 16 July 1999 | New party | Krištopans cabinet | |
| 23 | Valdis Birkavs (b. 1942) | 16 July 1999 – 5 May 2000 | Latvian Way | Third Sķēle cabinet | |
| (22.) | Ingrīda Labucka (b. 1963) | 5 May 2000 – 7 November 2002 | New party | Bērziņš cabinet | 2nd time |
| 24 | Aivars Aksenoks (b. 1961) | 7 November 2002 – 9 March 2004 | New Era Party | Repše cabinet | |
| 25 | Vineta Muižniece (b. 1956) | 3 September 2004 – 2 December 2004 | People's party | Emša cabinet | |
| 26 | Solvita Āboltiņa (b. 1963) | 2 December 2004 – 7 April 2006 | New Era Party | First Kalvitis cabinet | |
| 27 | Guntars Grīnvalds (b. 1973) | 8 April 2006 – 7 November 2006 | Latvia's First Party | First Kalvitis cabinet | |
| 28 | Gaidis Bērziņš (b. 1970) | 7 November 2006 – 12 March 2009 | Fatherland and Freedom / LNNK | Second Godmanis cabinet | |
| 29 | Mareks Segliņš (b. 1970) | 12 March 2009 – 22 March 2010 | People's Party | First Dombrovskis cabinet | |
| - | Uldis Augulis (b. 1972) | 23 March 2010 – 19 April 2010 | Union of Greens and Farmers | First Dombrovskis cabinet | duty officer |
| - | Imants Lieģis (b. 1955) | 20 April 2010 – 3 November 2010 | Civic Union | First Dombrovskis cabinet | duty officer |
| 30 | Aigars Štokenbergs (b. 1963) | 3 November 2010–25 October 2011 | Unity (Society for Political Change) (until 6 August 2011) | Second Dombrovskis cabinet | |
| 30 | Aigars Štokenbergs (b. 1963) | 3 November 2010–25 October 2011 | Unity (from 6 August 2011) | Second Dombrovskis cabinet | |
| (28.) | Gaidis Bērziņš (b. 1970) | 25 October 2011 – 21 June 2012 | National Alliance "All For Latvia!" – "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" | Third Dombrovskis cabinet | 2nd time |
| - | Žaneta Jaunzeme-Grende (b. 1964) | 21 June 2012 – 5 July 2012 | National Alliance "All For Latvia!" – "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" | Third Dombrovskis cabinet | acting officer |
| 31 | Jānis Bordāns (b. 1967) | 5 July 2012 – 22 January 2014 | Without Party (until 18 July 2012) | Third Dombrovskis cabinet | |
| 31 | Jānis Bordāns (b. 1967) | 5 July 2012 – 22 January 2014 | National Alliance "All For Latvia!" – "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" (18 July 2012 – 1 November 2013) | Third Dombrovskis cabinet | |
| 31 | Jānis Bordāns (b. 1967) | 5 July 2012 – 22 January 2014 | Without the party (from 1 November 2013 ) | Third Dombrovskis cabinet | |
| 32 | Baiba Broka (b. 1975) | 22 January 2014 – 6 August 2014 | National Alliance "All For Latvia!" – "For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK" | First Straujuma cabinet | |
| - | Dace Melbārde (b. 1971) | 6 August 2014 – 21 August 2014 | Without party | First Straujuma cabinet | acting officer |
| (28.) | Gaidis Bērziņš (b. 1970) | 21 August 2014 – 5 November 2014 | National Alliance | First Straujuma cabinet | 3rd time |
| (21.) | Dzintars Rasnačs (b. 1963) | 5 November 2014 – 23 January 2019 | National Alliance | Second Straujuma cabinet | |
| (21.) | Dzintars Rasnačs (b. 1963) | 5 November 2014 – 23 January 2019 | National Alliance | Kučinskis cabinet | |
| (31.) | Jānis Bordāns (b. 1967) | 23 January 2019 – 14 December 2022 | The Conservatives | First Kariņš cabinet | 2nd time |
| 33. | Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (b. 1977) | 14 December 2022 – present | New Unity | Second Kariņš cabinet | |
| 33. | Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (b. 1977) | 14 December 2022 – present | New Unity | Siliņa cabinet | |