System and hierarchy of sources of regulatory and legal regulation of URPI in the context of digitalization of criminal proceedings

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the regulatory and legal framework governing the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations (URPI), a key element of Ukraine’s digital infrastructure for criminal justice. The aim of the work is to determine the hierarchical structure of the sources of law governing the Register’s operation and to assess the impact of the latest 2024–2025 regulations on the transformation of the URPI into an electronic criminal proceedings system (e-Case). The methodological basis of the study comprises methods of systemic analysis, formal-legal, and comparative-legal methods. The vertical structure of the regulatory framework is examined and classified by levels of legal force: from constitutional provisions and codified legislation to subordinate departmental acts and technical classifiers. Attention is paid to the analysis of legislative novelties, in particular, new standards for personal data protection (Order of the Prosecutor General No. 20 of January 27, 2025), strategic documents on the development of prosecution bodies for 2025–2028, and mechanisms of interoperability of the URPI with the “iCase” information and communication system and judicial registers. The scientific novelty of the study lies in substantiating the thesis that the modern regulatory framework of the URPI has gone beyond purely procedural regulation and has transformed into an integrated system that combines criminal procedure rules with technical cybersecurity regulations and international data protection standards. The results of the study confirm that the regulatory changes of recent years create a legal foundation for a phased transition to a paperless investigation format, while ensuring a balance between investigation efficiency and human rights. The practical significance of the work lies in the systematization of current legislation, which can be used to improve the law enforcement practice of law enforcement agencies. Keywords: URPI, criminal process, sources of law, digitalization, electronic evidence, personal data, e-Case, interoperability.