The rule of law as a constitutional principle of criminal legislation and justice
Authors: Holub Yana Olegivna 
Published: January 2025

Consideration of the principles of criminal law is of paramount importance for understanding the grounds for bringing a person to criminal responsibility. Of course, the problem of principles cannot find its solution only within criminal law or any other field of law, until the conceptual apparatus of legal principles in the general theory of law is defined.

According to the article of Art. 3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the legislation of Ukraine on criminal responsibility constitutes the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which is based on the Constitution of Ukraine and generally recognized principles and norms of international law. Article eight of the Constitution of Ukraine declares that it has the highest legal force; laws and other normative legal acts are adopted on the basis of the Constitution of Ukraine and must comply with it. Taking into account the proposals of scientists on the normative settlement of the problem of principles of law, as well as the existing developments of the Working Group on the preparation of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine, each of the principles known in legal science requires a separate study. Since the title of Article 8 of the Constitution of Ukraine explicitly stipulates that the principle of the rule of law is recognized and applies in Ukraine, and Article 129 states that a judge is independent and guided by the rule of law when administering justice, it is obvious that it is unique in the system of domestic law and each of its branches.

Among the constitutional principles of criminal justice, the principle of the rule of law is the leading one. A positive feature of the Project of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is the priority place of the rule of law as the basis on which relations arising from the commission of a criminal offense are regulated.

Regarding the relationship between the rule of law and legality, there is a well-founded position: the rule of law is a fundamental goal of the criminal justice system, while legality is an important, but not the only, principle that promotes the implementation of the rule of law. The principles of the rule of law and legality may come into conflict. When it comes to the principle of the rule of law, the imperative is its priority and leading role in the paradigm of the principles of law. The principle of the rule of law cannot be excessive, it is always dominant, since its implementation ensures the achievement of the goal of justice — the restoration of justice, and the effective operation of the criminal justice system. Justice is a category of a higher order than any principle, including the rule of law.

The scientific position on the existence of three supremacy — law, legality and constitution — has been criticized. There can be not only three supremacy, but also two. The rule of law is the only principle that occupies the highest level in the hierarchy of legal principles.

Key words: justice, fairness, principles of criminal law, principles, constitutional principles, rule of law, case law, natural law, legality, criminal justice, constitution, judge.