Information Note on the Court’s case-law 232
August-September 2019
Chaves Fernandes Figueiredo v. Switzerland (communicated case) - 55603/18
Article 6
Administrative proceedings
Civil proceedings
Article 6-1
Impartial tribunal
Social network “friendship” between member of child-welfare administrative authority and opposing party in decision-making process: communicated
In challenging a decision by the local child-protection authority in a dispute over the awarding of parental responsibility, the applicant (the child’s mother) lodged an appeal before the cantonal court. While the case was pending, she sent the authority a request that the decision in question be reviewed: in her view, its president ought to have withdrawn from the case, given that he was a “friend” of the child’s father on Facebook (social network). She also informed the court of this complaint. However, neither the authority in question nor the courts considered it necessary to set aside the decision on that ground.
Communicated under Article 6 § 1 of the Convention.
© Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights
This summary by the Registry does not bind the Court.
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