Administrative Reforms And The Rule Of Law: Case-Law Analysis As An Inspiration For The Slovene Reorganisation Of Social Work Centres

Administrative reforms often aim to implement a public governance model suitable for a particular task, but they frequently lack empirical basis. This paper analyses the relevant case law following the decisions of social work centres in Slovenia in order to gain insight into the lawfulness of their work as grounds for their reorganisation. An analysis has been conducted of 213 higher court judgments issued over the past five years and the findings show that case law regarding social work centre cases at the highest courts in Slovenia is rather consistent, but reveals some gaps to be bridged in the future, e.g. the recognition of participative procedural standards and more flexible organisation. The case law in question shows that field legislation can be more principle-oriented and related reforms can be carried out in Slovene social work centres and beyond.