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Preparation of the criminal case

The district court starts to deal with a criminal case when the prosecutor's summons to appear arrives. Suppose the prosecutor has not presented the plaintiff's claims for damages. In that case, the district court may ask the plaintiff to show them himself.

The defendant is sent a summons to appear before the district court to answer the charges and claims. Sometimes, the defendant is asked to give a written answer before the hearing.

The summons is also sent to injured parties and witnesses whose presence is necessary. Parties who have not made a claim may not receive a summons but may attend the hearing if they wish. The district court will publish information about the hearing at different times, so interested parties planning to attend should check the hearing date.

Main hearing

Trials are usually open to the public, but the hearing may be held on camera in certain cases. A normal main hearing usually lasts a few hours, but complex cases can take several days. Cases are heard orally at the hearing.

The course of the hearing:

    Presentation by the prosecutor: The prosecutor presents the charges, the grounds on which they are based, and any other requests. He may also present the claims of the injured parties if they are under his jurisdiction.

    Hearing of the plaintiff: If the prosecutor has not done so, the plaintiff presents his claim for compensation. He may also join the prosecutor's claim for punishment or present his claim.

    Hearing of the defendant: the defendant will state whether he or she accepts the charges and the compensation claims.

    Statement of reasons: the prosecutor and the plaintiff give reasons for their views. The prosecutor explains the events and the background of the charges. The plaintiff explains the grounds for his claims.

Evidence:

Written evidence is examined, followed by hearings with the plaintiff, the defendant, and witnesses. All statements are recorded. The district court cannot consider evidence or statements that have not been considered at the main hearing.