Judicial reform in Kazakhstan from July 1, 2025

On July 1, 2025, one of the most ambitious reforms of the judicial system in recent years will come into force in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In accordance with Presidential Decree No. 748 and a number of adopted laws, three new courts of cassation will be established in Astana city: for civil, criminal and administrative cases. The total number of judges will amount to 90 people.

Competence and procedure for consideration of cases

Cassation courts will review judicial acts in civil, criminal and administrative cases that have entered into force, study judicial practice and ensure the legality of their application. As of July 1, the preliminary selection of complaints will be abolished – cases will come directly to the court and will be considered by a panel with the participation of the parties. A unified approach to cassation review, the so-called “continuous cassation”, is introduced, except for cases of administrative offenses.

In cases of administrative offenses, a higher standard of admissibility is maintained – review is possible only in exceptional cases, such as a threat to national security or violation of public interests. Review of such cases is possible upon the submission of the chairperson of the cassation court, a protest by the Prosecutor General and other senior officials.

Role of the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court retains the function of “supercassation” and will review cases only in exceptional cases where judicial acts may lead to grave consequences or violate the rights of an indefinite number of persons. The main emphasis in the work of the Supreme Court shifts to ensuring uniformity of judicial practice.

Innovations in the administrative process

Innovations in the administrative process From July 2025, the rulings of the appeal instance in administrative cases will come into force immediately after the announcement. In addition, from March 2025, extraterritorial jurisdiction will be introduced – the plaintiff will be able to choose the court at the place of filing a lawsuit in administrative cases, except for certain categories of disputes.

Results of the reform

Reform of the judicial system is aimed at improving access to justice, speeding up the processing of cases and increasing citizens’ confidence in the courts. At the same time, it will require adaptation of law enforcement practices and careful legal support for all participants in the process.

Given the scope and significance of the changes, a key task for the coming years is to ensure uniform application of legislation and legal certainty in the consideration of cases.

Article is prepared by Sergey Gaidarov and Dinara Kalizharova,

Legal Department of FChain Kazakhstan

16^th of May 2025