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

Abstract

Abstract:Examining judgments issued by trial-level judges is essential for analyzing the constitutional guarantee regarding the statement of reasons, specifically considering the factual and legal grounds presented by judges to justify the legal validity of said judgments. This study addresses the serious issue of judicial decisions exhibiting insufficient, illusory, or erroneous reasoning, which violates the right to due process. The ruling analyzed in this paper concerns the crime of illicit trafficking of scheduled controlled substances an offense defined in Article 220 of the Comprehensive Organic Penal Code. The analysis sought to determine whether there were any defects in reasoning that would compromise the decision's validity and, if so, whether vertical or horizontal appeals were filed with the appellate court that could lead to the judgment being annulled. Furthermore, it is imperative to note that strengthening judicial reasoning in trial-level decisions is essential to avoid violating fundamental rights such as due process and to ensure legal certainty within the penal system.