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Jānis Pleps

Assistant Professor

Dr. iur. Jānis Pleps

janis.pleps@lu.lv

Courses: Legal Methods, Theory of Law, Sociology of Law, Problems of Theory of Law, Philosophy of Law and Latvian Legal History, General Theory of State, Legal Writing and Analyses of Documents

Consultation times available here.

Research interests: 

Legisprudence; Interpretation and application of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia; Doctrine of state continuity; History of constitutional system of the Republic of Latvia; Problems of transformation of the Latvian legal system 

Professional experience and achievements:

  • Judge of the Supreme Court (since 2022)
  • Corresponding member of the Latvian Academy of Science (since 2023)
  • Member of the Professional Editor Board of the Latvian National Encyclopedia (since 2015)
  • Member of the State uniform examination commission for lawyers (since 2015)
  • Expert of the Latvian Council of Science in social sciences- law (since 2016)
  • Head of the Department of the Legal Theory and History at the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia (2013-2022)
  • Legal policy adviser to the President of Latvia Egils Levits (2019-2022), Adviser to the President of Latvia Raimonds Vējonis for constitutional affairs (2015-2019), Member of expert group for governance improvement to the President of Latvia Andris Bērziņš (2012-2015)
  • Legal adviser at the Legal Service of the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia (2008-2015)
  • Awarded with the Order of the Three Stars (4rd class) and the Badge of Honor of the Justice System (3rd degree)
  • Awarded with the Dietrich André Loeber Prize of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (2022)
  • Honorary citizen of the Ilūkste Municipality (2021)
  • Member of the Stenders Society, Association of Selonia and Isaiah Berlin Society, co-founder of the Professor Kārlis Dišlers Foundation, former member of the European Law Students Association Latvia (ELSA-Latvia)

Publications:

  • Cercel C., Pleps J. Eternity Clause as Agalma Articulating Constitutional Identity in Romania and Latvia. In: Law, Culture and Identity in Central and Eastern Europe. A Comparative Engagement. Edited by Cosmin Cercel, Aleksandra Mercescu and Miroslaw Mihal Sadowski. Abingdon and New York: Routledge, 2023, 167-189.
  • Pleps J., Pastars E., Plakane I. Constitutional Law. Rīga: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2023, p 557.
  • Balodis R., Pleps J. First Century of the Satversme: Constitutional Development and Perspectives. Journal of the University of Latvia. Law, vol.16, 2023, pp.85-114.
  • Ernits M., Miliuvienė J., Pleps J., Sinkevičius V. Models of constitutional adjucation in the Baltic States. International Social Science Journal, 2022, Volume 72, Issue 246, pp.1217-1235.
  • Pleps J. Citizenship and State Continuity: The Example of Latvia. In: Krešić M., Banović D., Sampedro A.C., Pleps K. (eds.) Ethnic Diversity, Plural Democracy and Humand Dignity. Challenges to the European Union and Western Balkans. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2022, pp. 207-222.
  • Pleps J., Pastars E., Plakane I. Konstitucionālās tiesības. Trešais izdevums ar Daiņa Īvāna priekšvārdu. Rīga: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2021, 680 lpp. (Otrais izdevums: Pleps J., Pastars E., Plakane I. Konstitucionālās tiesības. Papildināts un pārstrādāts izdevums. Rīga: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2014, 448 lpp.; Pirmais izdevums: Pleps J., Pastars E., Plakane I. Konstitucionālās tiesības. Rīga: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2004, 732 lpp.)
  • Ziemele I., Lerhis A., Pleps J., Lazdiņš J. Doctrine of State Continuity. Latvia’s Experience. Journal of the University of Latvia. Law, vol.14, 2021, pp.91-110.
  • Lazdiņš J., Lerhis A., Pleps J., Ziemele I. Legal and Historical Elements of Latvia’s Restoration of Independence. Baltic Yearbook of International Law, vol. 19, 2021, pp.27-72.
  • Plepa D., Pleps J. Human Dignity in Latvia. In: Becchi P., Mathis K. (eds) Handbook of Human Dignity in Europe. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2019, pp.479-503.
  • Balodis R., Pleps J. Financial Crisis and the Constitution in Latvia. In: Constitutions in the Global Financial Crisis. A Comparative Analysis. Edited by Xenophon Contiades. Farnham and Burlington: Ashgate, 2013, pp.115-140.
  • Pleps J. Satversmes iztulkošana. Rīga: Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2012, 288 lpp.