Mikołaj Pawlak has been summoned before the Disciplinary Court in Lodz for alleged misconduct related to a domestic‑violence investigation, with the hearing set for January 12.
Disciplinary Proceedings Against Judge Pawlak
An ad hoc judicial officer, Barbara Augustyniak, has initiated disciplinary charges against Judge Pawlak. The allegations stem from his handling of a domestic‑violence case where he accessed investigative files.
The court notes that Pawlak shared these documents with an unqualified individual, which he reportedly did without the prosecutor’s consent.
Potential Sanctions
Under the General Courts Act, disciplinary penalties can include warnings, admonitions, salary reductions between 5 % and 50 %, fines equal to one monthly salary, removal from office, reassignment, or dismissal by court order.
Career Path of Mikołaj Pawlak
Pawlak was appointed judge of the Skierniewice District Court by President Andrzej Duda in June 2024 after the National Council of the Judiciary forwarded a recommendation in October 2018. Prior to this, he served as the Children’s Rights Advocate (RPD) from 2018 to December 2023, a role he occupied before its discontinuation.
Controversies as Children’s Rights Advocate
During his RPD tenure, Pawlak conducted inspections of schools listed in the LGBTQ‑Friendly School Ranking and questioned directors about registering staff in a “pedophile registry.” He also suggested that sexual educators provide pharmacological gender‑transition aids to children, a claim he later said was merely a thought exercise.
In a 2019 interview, he reportedly said, “We must distinguish between a slap and hitting,” while adding that children must never be beaten. A photograph from 2021 showed him with traveler Wojciech Cejrowski, who had publicly endorsed corporal punishment.
Investigation by the Office of National Audit
After his transition to the judiciary, the National Audit Office examined RPD expenditures during Pawlak’s term, uncovering substantial payments for sponsored articles, a book distribution program, audio equipment rentals, imported “bestiary” material, and personal meals funded by state money.
Prosecutor’s Investigation
In October 2023, the Warsaw District Prosecutor’s Office opened a probe into the misuse of authority, including the distribution of a controversial book and excessive spending on youth events in Lisbon and a national conference. The investigation was extended into January 2024.