Dismissed Academy of Justice Rector Sopiński Files Court Challenge Against Justice Minister Żurek

Legal challenge filed with administrative court

Michał Sopiński, the dismissed rector-commandant of the Academy of Justice (Akademia Wymiaru Sprawiedliwości), lodged a formal complaint on 2 October 2026 with the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw against his dismissal by Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek. Sopiński submitted the appeal documentation directly through the Ministry of Justice delivery desk, which stamped the official receipt on Friday. Alongside the principal lawsuit, Sopiński submitted a formal petition for interim relief, requesting an immediate stay of execution on the contested dismissal order until administrative court proceedings conclude with a final judgment.

The lawsuit asks the administrative judiciary to overturn the dismissal order in its entirety. Alternatively, Sopiński requested a declaration of absolute invalidity if the judges determine that the order was issued by an administrative body lacking substantive jurisdiction over the institution. In the text of the complaint, Sopiński argued that the ministerial decision violated core provisions of Poland's Law on Higher Education and Science as well as formal procedural requirements established under the Code of Administrative Procedure. Sopiński announced the submission by publishing a statement and a scan of the stamped ministerial filing on the social media platform X.

A complaint against the lawlessness of Minister Żurek reached the administrative court along with an application to suspend execution of the contested decision.

Ministry grounds and leadership change

The conflict over the academy began in May 2026, when Minister Żurek issued the initial decision to dismiss Sopiński following an administrative proceeding that lasted several months. Sopiński filed an administrative appeal directly to the head of the justice department, but the Ministry of Justice reviewed the case and formally upheld the dismissal order in early September 2026. The justice department stated at the time that the removal was immediately enforceable under administrative regulations and clarified that filing a complaint with the administrative courts would not automatically stay its execution.

The Ministry of Justice grounded the dismissal on three distinct pillars: legal defects identified in doctoral proceedings conducted at the academy, the public manifestation of political views, and the obstruction of the organization of probationary officer apprenticeships. Ministerial officials stated that the cumulative effect of these actions determined the dismissal, concluding that the irregularities formed a continuous pattern of violating the rule of law and apolitical standards rather than isolated administrative mistakes. Following Sopiński's removal, Prof. Sławomir Cudak took office as the acting rector-commandant of the Academy of Justice.

Headquarters demonstrations and political involvement

The administrative proceedings and the subsequent removal of the rector-commandant triggered public unrest around the Academy of Justice headquarters in Warsaw. Protesters organized demonstrations directly in front of the university building, drawing the participation of politicians from the Law and Justice party who objected to the ministry's actions.

During the standoff surrounding the institution's premises, Law and Justice Member of Parliament Maria Kurowska entered the facility and remained inside the building for several days. Sopiński's court challenge now requires the Provincial Administrative Court to review the legality of the administrative proceedings, the validity of the three grounds cited by the Ministry of Justice, and whether the minister possessed the statutory competence to issue the dismissal order.