Courts

Ukrainian Supreme Court Judge Earns Fierce Nickname After Leaving Bench For Battle Against Russia

The enemy is dismissed -- with prejudice.

By Staci Zaretsky on March 10, 2022

russia ukraineAs the Russian invasion rages on in Ukraine, many of the legal profession’s finest have taken up arms in defense of their country. As battle folklore begins to emerge, a new legend has arisen in the form of Judge Ivan Mishchenko of the Ukrainian Supreme Court.

“It doesn’t matter who is the lawyer, who is the prosecutor, who is the judge — we have all united,” he reportedly said during an interview with Polish media.

Here’s a brief snippet on Mishchenko’s heroics:

According to the Law Gazette, Mishchenko said that he was “more useful” in combat than in court. We suppose that’s why he now finds himself with a new nickname on the battlefield. From the good judge’s LinkedIn page:

Mishchenko Judge Dredd LinkedIn

(Image via LinkedIn)

All rise! In case you’re unfamiliar, Judge Dredd is a fictional character who practices street justice by arresting, convicting, sentencing, and executing criminals. No wonder Mishchenko is eager to get back into his judicial robes.

Good luck and Godspeed to Judge Mishchenko and his compatriots in their courageous resistance against Russia in the defense of Ukraine.

Ukraine Supreme Court judge joins defence forces on front line [Law Gazette]

Staci ZaretskyStaci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.