Motivación en las sentencias emitidas por los jueces de primer nivel en Ecuador

Abstract

Abstract: This curricular integration project examines judicial reasoning within Case No. 09209-XXXX-XXXXX, which concerns the protection of the rights of children and adolescents. Judicial reasoning is a fundamental component of the guarantee of due process; it informs the parties to the proceedings of the factual and legal grounds for a judicial decision, thereby safeguarding the right to a defense and access to an effective legal remedy. The study employs a qualitative-analytical methodology based on principles regarding sufficient and correct reasoning, as well as potential deficiencies such as absence, insufficiency, superficiality, incoherence or contradiction, incongruity, and lack of comprehensibility. The results indicate that, while the judgment in question meets the formal requirements established by the Ecuadorian legal system, it exhibits substantive deficiencies in the specific reasoning of its grounds. These shortcomings compromise the guarantee of public transparency, the public image of the Ecuadorian judicial system, and the effectiveness of the right to a defense. The study concludes that adequate reasoning ensures not only the proper attribution of judicial decisions but also legal certainty within the Ecuadorian administrative sanctioning system.