A Disclosure About Death Disclosure: Variability in Circulatory Death Determination

Introduction. Circulatory-respiratory death declaration is a common duty of physicians, but little is known about the amount of education and physician practice patterns in completing this examination. Methods. We conducted an online survey of physicians evaluating the rate of formal training and specific examination techniques used in the pronouncement of circulatory-respiratory death. Data, including level of practice, training received in formal death declaration, and examination components were collected. Results. Respondents were attending physicians (52.4%), residents (30.2%), fellows (10.7%), and interns (6.7%). The majority of respondents indicated they had received no formal training in death pronouncement, however, most reported self-perceived competence. When comparing examination components used by our cohort, 95 different examination combinations were used for death pronouncement. Conclusions. Formal training in death pronouncement is uncommon and clinical practice varies. Implementation of formal training and standardization of the examination are necessary to improve physician competence and reliability in death declarations.

THE ISSUE OF CLOSURE OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE DECEASED ACCUSED IN JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS

Based on the analysis of judicial practice, the paper examines the problem of criminal proceedings’ closing in case of suspect’s or accused’s death, except in cases where the proceedings are necessary for the rehabilitation of the deceased, in preparatory proceedings, trials, appeals and cassation proceedings. The purpose of the paper is to identify the characteristics of interpretation and application of paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Art. 284 of the CPC of Ukraine in the proceedings of the court of the first instance, appeal and cassation proceedings, to formulate proposals for amendments to the CPC of Ukraine on the closure of the proceedings on this ground. The main results of the research consist of substantiating the need to standardize the appropriate legal procedure for the rehabilitation of the deceased by enshrining it in the CPC of Ukraine; determination of procedural decisions of the court in the preparatory proceedings and the trial in case of person’s death; determination of procedural decisions of the court in appeal proceedings in case of death of a person in respect of whom an acquittal has been passed; determination of procedural court decisions in appeal proceedings in the event of the death of the acquitted. The conclusions and specific proposals of the author are as follows: the application of paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Art. 284 of the CPC of Ukraine is not well-established in judicial practice, which indicates the lack of uniform interpretation of Art. 284, 417, 440 of the CPC of Ukraine, and the need to clarify the provisions of Art. 417, 440 of the CPC of Ukraine. Guided by paragraph 5 of Part 1 of Art. 284 of the CPC of Ukraine in the preparatory proceedings, the court by its decision closes the criminal proceedings unless the proceedings are necessary for the rehabilitation of the deceased; in court proceedings, the court closes the criminal proceedings by its decision, except in cases when the proceedings are necessary for the rehabilitation of the deceased, in case of initiation of rehabilitation, which has not been confirmed - by its decision closes the criminal proceedings. The wording of Art. 417 and 440 of the CPC of Ukraine do not take into account the difference in the grounds for closing the criminal proceedings and are not adapted for such grounds as the death of the accused. Therefore, it is appropriate to remove from these articles the reference to the reversal of the conviction only. However, as in the case of acquittal, the person is rehabilitated, in case of objections of the defence to revoke the acquittal, it cannot be revoked, however, the proceedings should be closed and further review of court decisions is impossible.