Administrative courts

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, each citizen is guaranteed the right to criticize the work of State institutions and officials, and to appeal against their decisions. Article 111 of the Constitution provides for the possibility of establishment of specialised courts for the consideration of administrative, labour, family and other categories of cases.

Administrative courts - specialised courts that started to function in Lithuania from the 1st of May 1999, according to the Law on the Establishment of Administrative Courts. Unlike the courts of general jurisdiction that hear criminal cases and consider disputes arising from civil, labour, family and other legal relations of private nature, administrative courts consider disputes that arise in the sphere of public and internal administration. The competence of administrative courts is regulated by the Law on Administrative Proceedings as well as number of specialized laws, such as laws on elections, public service, tax, zoning etc.

Administrative courts consider complaints (applications) concerning:

• lawfulness of legal acts passed and actions performed by the entities of public administration (e.g. ministries, departments, inspections, services, commissions), also the legality and validity of refusal by the said entities to perform the actions within the remit of their competence or delay in performing the said actions;
• compensation for material and moral damage inflicted on a natural person or organisation by unlawful acts or omission in the sphere of public administration by state or municipal institutions, agencies, services and their employees;
• payment, repayment or exaction of taxes, other mandatory payments and levies, the application of financial sanctions and the tax disputes (disputes with the State Tax Inspectorate);
• office-related disputes, where one of the parties is a public or municipal servant possessing the powers of public administration;
• violation of the election laws and the Law on the Referendum;
• complaints by aliens about the refusal to issue permits for residence and work in Lithuania or withdrawal of such permits as well as complaints about the status of the refugee;
• complaints against the administrative sanctions;
• other cases provided for in the Article 15 of the Law on Administrative Proceedings.

The system of administrative courts of Lithuania consists of 5 regional administrative courts (in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai and Panevėžys) and the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania. Rulings of the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania are final and not subject to appeal.

Vilnius Regional Administrative Court

Žygimantų st. 2, Vilnius, Lithuania
Phone: +370 5 2648700
E-mail: info@vaateismas.lt
www.vaateismas.lt

Kaunas Regional Administrative Court

A. Mickevičiaus st. 8A, Kaunas, Lithuania
phone.: +370 37 201467
E-mail: 62.teismas@teismai.lt
www.kaat.lt

Klaipėda Regional Administrative Court

Galinio Pylimo st. 9, Klaipėda, Lithuania
phone.: +370 46 313579
E-mail: info@klaat.lt
www.klaat.lt

Šiauliai Regional Administrative Court

Dvaro st. 80, Šiauliai, Lithuania
phone: +370 41 521803
E-mail: 64.teismas@teismai.lt
Adresas internete: www.saat.lt

Panevėžys Regional Administrative Court

Respublikos st. 62, Panevėžys, Lithuania
phone: +370 45 583150
E-mail: 65.teismas@teismai.lt