The chief justice of the Supreme Court of Estonia filed disciplinary charges against Hallmägi in June 2024, and the chief justice of Viru County Court filed charges in July.

According to the charges, Hallmägi delayed the resolution of 17 civil cases and supervisory proceedings of 27 civil cases, exceeding a reasonable timeframe for proceedings. He also failed to explain the reasons for the delays to the chief justice, and did not adhere to the deadline set for resolving one of the cases.

The Disciplinary Chamber suspended the judge from office during the disciplinary proceedings in July 2024, and reduced his salary by half. In September, the chamber found him guilty of failing to fulfill and improperly filling his official duties, ordering his dismissal from office.

Judge Andres Hallmägi appealed the Disciplinary Chamber's ruling to the Supreme Court en banc, seeking a lighter punishment and acquittal on the grounds of exceeding a reasonable timeframe for one of the civil cases.

The Supreme Court en banc rejected the appeal, but for the sake of clarity, outlined the specific grounds on which the judge was convicted. Despite this, the Supreme Court en banc agreed with the Disciplinary Chamber's position that the judge should be removed from office, noting that the judge had committed numerous disciplinary offenses, including during the period of a previous disciplinary sanction, and that the consequences of these violations were severe.

The Disciplinary Chamber emphasized that the judge's willful and repeated failure to fulfill his duties undermines public trust in the judicial system as a whole, and severely damages the reputation of the courts. The chamber found that the gravity of the offenses committed by the judge could not be underestimated.

As the Supreme Court en banc left the Disciplinary Chamber's imposed punishment unchanged, Judge Andres Hallmägi was removed from office as of February 19, 2025.

Supreme Court Justice Julia Laffranque dissented, disagreeing with her colleague that the judge should be punished with his removal from office.

"Removing a judge from office is the most severe punishment for a disciplinary offense," Laffranque stated. "In determining a disciplinary sanction, the nature, severity and consequences of the offense, as well as the judge's personal character and other circumstances surrounding the offense, must be taken into account."

The Disciplinary Chamber at the Supreme Court of Estonia is a self-governing body for judges that handles complaints related to judicial work. The Supreme Court en banc is the highest body of the Supreme Court of Estonia, consisting of all 19 Supreme Court justices.

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