Keywords
disciplinary liability
disciplinary justice
law enforcement function of the state
legal liability
justice
How to Cite
Abstract
In legal scholarship, the term “disciplinary justice” acks a consistent definition, which complicates its theoretical conceptualization and its distinction from related legal institutions. At the same time, the specific nature of disciplinary liability – recognized at the constitutional level in Ukraine as a distinct form of legal responsibility – necessitates the acknowledgment of disciplinary justice as an independent type of justice. The purpose of this study is to substantiate the concept, define the subject matter, and identify the functions of disciplinary justice as a specific form of legal activity within the system of the state's law enforcement function. The article proposes an original definition of disciplinary justice as a type of legal activity exercised by public-authority entities authorized by law, aimed at protecting the labor rights of individuals subjected to disciplinary measures, as well as at imposing such measures on certain categories of justice-related officials for breaches of their official duties. It is argued that the subject matter of disciplinary justice encompasses legal relations connected to the implementation of disciplinary liability for special subjects – public officials who perform law enforcement functions, such as judges, prosecutors, etc. Four primary functions of disciplinary justice are identified: protective (human rights), supervisory (oversight), regulatory (standard-setting), and restorative (redress). The article also provides an analysis of the relationship between disciplinary justice and other types of justice– namely criminal, administrative, and civil – by outlining commonalities and distinctions in their respective domains. It is concluded that disciplinary justice holds independent value within the system of justice, as it ensures the lawfulness of disciplinary measures and the protection of labor rights in the sphere of public administration. It serves as an essential mechanism for upholding legality, professional ethics, and public accountability in the state sector.
References
1. Andreeva, A., & Yolova, G. (2021). Liability in Labor Legislation: New Challenges Related to the Use of Artificial Intelligence. In Responsible AI and Ethical Issues for Businesses and Governments (pp. 214-232). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4285-9.ch012
2. Bigun, V. (2020). Osnovy pravosuddia (terminolohiia, filosofiia, praktyka) [Fundamentals of justice: Terminology, philosophy, practice]. Kyiv: Interservis. https://legalclinics.in.ua/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Bigun-2020-Osnovy-pravosuddya.pdf (in Ukrainian)
3. Chanysheva, H. I. (2022). Trudove pravo Ukrainy [Labor law of Ukraine]. Odesa: Feniks. https://doi.org/10.32837/11300.22510 (in Ukrainian)
4. Khavroniuk, M. I. (2024). Dystsyplinarna vidpovidalnist za koruptsiini ta poviazani z koruptsiieiu pravoporushennia: Zakonodavstvo, praktyka, propozytsii [Disciplinary liability for corruption and corruption-related offenses: Legislation, practice, proposals]. Kyiv. https://pravo.org.ua/books/distsiplinarna-vidpovidalnist-za-koruptsijni-ta-pov-yazani-z-koruptsiyeyu-pravoporushennya-zakonodavstvo-praktika-propozitsiyi-2/ (in Ukrainian)
5. Kucher, V. O. (Ed.). (2017). Trudove pravo Ukrainy [Labor law of Ukraine]. Lviv: Lviv State University of Internal Affairs. (in Ukrainian)
6. Lavrenko, B. V. (2016). Do pytannia dystsyplinarnoi vidpovidalnosti derzhavnoho sluzhbovtsia [On the issue of disciplinary liability of a civil servant]. Pravo ta innovatsii, (3), 123–129. http://nbuv.gov.ua/UJRN/apir_2016_3_22 (in Ukrainian)
7. Pilypenko, P. D., Burak, V. Ya., Kozak, Z. Ya., et al. (Eds.). (2006). Trudove pravo Ukrainy [Labor law of Ukraine] (2nd ed., revised and updated). Kyiv: In Yure. (in Ukrainian)
8. Sereda, V. V. (2014). Dystsyplinarna vidpovidalnist: poniattia, pryntsypy ta vydiv [Disciplinary liability: Concept, principles, and types]. Universytetski naukovi zapysky, (1), 18–25. http://nbuv.gov.ua/UJRN/Unzap_2014_1_5 (in Ukrainian)
9. Sobakar, A. (2023). Dystsyplinarna vidpovidalnist yak riznovyd yurydychnoi vidpovidalnosti derzhavnykh sluzhbovtsiv [Disciplinary liability as a type of legal liability of civil servants]. Yurydychnyi naukovyi elektronnyi zhurnal, (3), 608–611. https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0374/2023-3/140 (in Ukrainian)
10. Zapara, S. (2013). Zakhyst prava na pratsiu: Teoretychni zasady stanovlennia ta rozvytku [Protection of the right to work: Theoretical foundations of formation and development]. Sumy: Sumy National Agrarian University Press. https://repo.snau.edu.ua/handle/123456789/5221 (in Ukrainian)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Iryna Kunenko