METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO STUDYING LEGAL REGULATION OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES

This article presents an in-depth exploration of the methodological foundations for legal analysis of public service within the customs authorities of Ukraine. The customs public service is examined as a complex legal and administrative phenomenon, situated within the broader context of contemporary challenges in public governance, European integration, and institutional reform. The study identifies key issues concerning the methodological framework of legal research in the sphere of public service.It is emphasized that legal methodology should not be reduced to a mere collection of technical tools. Rather, it must be understood as a coherent system of philosophical, epistemological, logical, and disciplinary principles that shape the internal logic of inquiry, define its heuristic capacity, and determine its ability to generate scientifically grounded and practically meaningful outcomes. The article argues that effective legal inquiry into customs public service requires a trans-methodological approach that integrates formal-legal, logical-semantic, system-structural, system-functional, comparative-legal, historical-legal, dialectical, and statistical methods, among others.Particular attention is paid to the functional potential of each of these methodological tools. For instance, the formal-legal method allows for a precise analysis of the current regulatory framework, whereas the system-functional approach enables an assessment of the effectiveness of legal regulation in achieving the strategic goals of the customs service. The comparative-legal method helps identify relevant European models of public service, while document analysis provides insight into the specific manifestations of administrative practice. The role of statistical analysis is also highlighted, especially in evaluating performance and the dynamics of human resource processes within the customs system.