Criminal proceedings – what are the stages?

Criminal proceedings consist of the preparatory, trial, and enforcement stages. Preparatory proceedings are conducted by the police and supervised by a public prosecutor. The police authority must collect and evaluate evidence to decide whether the suspicion of a criminal offense is sufficiently grounded to file an indictment with the court. Trial proceedings, also known as court proceedings. This is the most important stage of criminal proceedings, where the guilt and punishment of the defendant are decided. Evidence is presented and evaluated by the court. Enforcement proceedings are carried out by the court in cooperation with the Prison Service, the Probation and Mediation Service, and other institutions (e.g., medical facilities). Their task is to ensure that the court’s decision is actually fulfilled, i.e., executed.

Practical example

As an example, if Mr. Novák beats his neighbor unconscious and the neighbor cannot work for 14 days, the act will be investigated by the police. After evaluating all evidence, the police will hand over the file to the public prosecutor’s office, which will file an indictment with the court. Subsequently, the court convicts Mr. Novák of causing bodily harm, imposes a suspended sentence, and orders supervision by the probation service. The probation service then meets regularly with Mr. Novák to monitor whether he is leading a law-abiding life.