M-a sunat Lia” Judge Seeks Return to Bench 5 Months After Retirement

Ionela Tudor, the former vice president of the Bucharest Court of Appeal, has applied to the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) to return to the judiciary, selecting the Ilfov Tribunal as her preferred placement. Tudor is one of 16 retired judges who have successfully passed the initial legal screening in a new CSM process designed to bring magistrates who retired within the last three years back into the active system.

The CSM Re-entry Process and Selection Criteria

The CSM initiated this recruitment drive last month to address staffing needs by tapping into the pool of recently retired judges. According to the official CSM announcement, the council is currently evaluating the candidates’ preferred court locations against the actual list of vacancies available at the time of the final decision by the Judges’ Section.

Out of 18 total applicants, 16 met the formal legal requirements to move to the next stage of the selection process. These candidates must now undergo a psychological evaluation and a formal interview. The entire procedure is slated for completion by September. Following these assessments, the Judges’ Section of the CSM will submit the successful candidates to the president for formal reinstatement. Under current legislation, re-employed magistrates are entitled to receive their salary in addition to 15% of their service pension.

Context of the Retirement: The “Captured Justice” Documentary

Ionela Tudor’s career path has been under public scrutiny. She retired in February, just two months after a high-profile press conference at the Bucharest Court of Appeal. The event was held in response to the Recorder documentary titled “Justiție capturată” (Captured Justice).

During that press conference, which was a premiere for the institution, Tudor was filmed whispering, „M-a sunat Lia” (“Lia called me”—referring to Lia Savonea), before leaving to speak on the phone. She later returned to the podium to whisper instructions to the President of the Court, Nicoleta Arsenie. The incident was documented by Recorder journalists present at the event, which was held in a courtroom to address allegations of bias and systemic issues within the judiciary.

Career Timeline and Pension Timing

Tudor’s decision to retire in February followed a long tenure in the Romanian judicial system. According to her CV published on Juridice.ro, she began her career at the Fetești Court (2004–2007) and held positions at the Slobozia Court, and the Tribunals of Călărași and Ialomița before joining the Bucharest Tribunal in 2017. She became a judge at the Bucharest Court of Appeal in 2021 and was appointed vice president in 2025.

Official CSM documents approving her retirement indicate that while she left the bench in February, she had secured the decision to retire as early as 2023. This timing is significant as it occurred before the enactment of new legislative amendments that capped judicial pensions, ensuring that a retiree’s pension could not exceed their final net salary.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is eligible to return to the judiciary under this program?
  The current CSM procedure is open to judges who have retired within the last three years.
• What steps must candidates complete to be rehired?
  After passing the initial legal screening, candidates must undergo a psychological evaluation and an interview with the CSM.
• Why is Ionela Tudor’s return notable?
  Tudor’s application has drawn attention due to her previous role as vice president of the Bucharest Court of Appeal and her viral appearance during the court’s response to the “Justiție capturată” documentary.

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