Selection of key cases

Since the inception of the new Court in November 1998, a process has been in place for selecting judgments and decisions of particular importance (also referred to as 'key cases'). Of these selected cases, those delivered until 2015 were published in the Reports of Judgments and Decisions (ECHR series) and online, and those for the years 2016 onwards are published online only.

The selected cases can be found by referring either to the annual lists or to the indexes of the Reports, or by selecting 'Key cases' under the 'Importance' filter in the HUDOC database.

Lists of key cases

A selection of the most important cases dealt with by the Court since 2007 has been made quarterly by the Bureau, upon recommendation by the Jurisconsult*.

The annual lists below contain hyperlinks to judgments, advisory opinions or decisions published in the HUDOC database and, since 2016, also to legal summaries.

2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

(*) See Title I (Chapters II and III) of the Rules of Court about the respective roles of the Bureau and the Jurisconsult.

Reports of judgments and decisions

The Reports of Judgments and Decisions (cited in the case-law as ECHR) is an official print collection of selected judgments, decisions and advisory opinions delivered by the Court from November 1998 to December 2015. The cases are classified by Articles, keywords and key notions, preceded by a summary. They are available in PDF format, in English and French, and also in HUDOC under the importance level 'Key cases'.

Reports
2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999

Index
2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999
Cumulative index 1999-2015