scholarly journals Access to a Lawyer in Proceedings for Minor Offences Under Polish and European Union Law

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-196
Author(s):  
Iwona Magdalena Bień-Węgłowska

The Article deals with the opportunity for a suspected person and the passive party in the proceedings for offences to exercise the right of access to a lawyer and the right of legal counsel. The aim of the article is to provide a comparative legal analysis of the provisions of the Code of Procedure in Minor Offences against the background of the EU guarantees under Directives 2013/48/EU and 2016/1919/EU. Directive 2013/48/EU deals with one of the two aspects of the aforementioned right: namely the right of access to a lawyer for suspects and accused persons in criminal proceedings, while the right to legal aid and to state-guaranteed legal assistance in certain circumstances is regulated by Directive 2016/1919/EU.

Author(s):  
Valsamis Mitsilegas

This chapter considers the secondary legislation that has been adopted by European Union institutions under Article 82(2) TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) in the field of procedural rights in criminal proceedings. Article 82(2) TFEU is included in the Lisbon Treaty conferring to the EU express competence to adopt minimum standards on criminal procedure. The chapter first provides an overview of the EU Directive on the right to interpretation and translation, the right to information, the right of access to a lawyer, the right to legal aid, procedural rights of children, and presumption of innocence. It then discusses some of the key challenges in reaching agreement on EU standards on procedural rights in criminal proceedings, before concluding with an analysis of the transformative potential of EU law on procedural rights when viewed within the broader constitutional and institutional context of the EU.


Rechtsidee ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Abdul Fatah

Legal aid policy in the area carried out on several considerations including: Implementation of the authority given to the legal aid act, granting the guarantee and protection of access to justice and equality before the law in the area, equitable distribution of justice and increase public awareness and understanding of the law, and legal implications that accompanied the emergence of the right to legal counsel without pay and the right to choose the legal settlement. How To Cite Fatah, A. (2015). Regional Legal Assistance. Rechtsidee, 2(1), 1-10. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.21070/jihr.v2i1.7


Author(s):  
Anastazja Gajda

The aim of the study is to present the proposals of legal regulations presented by the European Commission in one of the fields of Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (JHA), i.e. within the framework of judicial cooperation in criminal matters. The European Commission’s proposals aim at strengthening of the rights of suspects/defendants in criminal proceedings in the EU. They consist of the right to a fair trial and include: strengthening of the presumption of innocence principle and the right to be present at the trial, special safeguards for children suspected or accused of a crime and the right to provisional legal aid for citizens suspected or accused of a crime. In the paper I analysed the most important provisions of the projects and showed that these proposals are intended to ensure the protection of fundamental rights within the JHA.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Pivaty ◽  
Anneli Soo

This article critically examines the EU law provisions on the right of access to the materials of the case in pre-trial criminal proceedings (Article 7 of Directive 2012/13/EU). It argues that they are insufficient to ensure adequate protection of this right in Member States. Furthermore, the approach chosen by EU legislator did not properly implement the European principle of the equality of arms in pre-trial proceedings. It is submitted that a clearer standard is needed to ensure an appropriate balance between the interests of adequate protection of individual rights and of protecting safety and security. It is suggested that although some room for national interpretation is desirable, the right of early access to the case materials should be endorsed by all Member States with derogations applied sparingly and under specific circumstances. Here further guidelines from the cjeu play significant role in order to ensure equality of arms in pre-trial proceedings.


2020 ◽  
pp. 147737082093185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nieke A Elbers ◽  
Sonja Meijer ◽  
Iris M Becx ◽  
Arlette JJG Schijns ◽  
Arno J Akkermans

The role of the victim in the criminal trial process has evolved considerably in recent decades. On a European level, an important driver has been the EU Directive 2012/29/EU, according to which European countries are legally bound to afford certain rights to crime victims. In the Netherlands, the EU Directive has instigated several extensions of existing victims’ rights, and in the Code of Criminal Procedure a separate section has been devoted to the victim. The current study specifically addresses one of the victims’ rights, that is, the right to be legally represented. The Dutch government has financially invested in access to and specialization of victim lawyers in order to promote the realization of victims’ rights, specifically for victims of serious crimes and sex offences. The goal of the current study was to investigate the added value of victim lawyers and the extent to which they contribute to the fulfilment of victims’ rights in the criminal law process. A literature study was conducted to examine legislation pertaining to victims’ rights; a questionnaire study was conducted to investigate the perspective of victim lawyers ( n = 148); and interviews were conducted to examine the perspective of the police, Victim Support Netherlands, Public Prosecuting Service, and criminal courts ( n = 17). The results show that victim lawyers were important to the realization of victims’ rights. They were considered most necessary with respect to the right to claim compensation and with respect to the right to gain access to the case file. They were also required because victims’ rights have not yet been smoothly incorporated into legal practice. In addition, victim lawyers’ presence in the courtroom was considered important because it contributes to victims experiencing that they are taken seriously. It has been concluded that the support of victim lawyers is an important contribution to victim participation in criminal proceedings.


2021 ◽  
pp. 203228442110283
Author(s):  
Yvonne M. Daly

In Ireland, the right to silence has been significantly impacted by the legislative introduction of adverse inference provisions. In specified circumstances, with varying threshold requirements, a suspect’s failure to answer questions or provide information during Garda (police) questioning can form the basis of an inference against them at trial. Ireland has not opted in to either Directive 2016/343/EU on the strengthening of certain aspects of the presumption of innocence or Directive 2013/48/EU on the right of access to a lawyer in criminal proceedings. This article examines the constitutional and common law context of the protection of the right to silence in Ireland; the operation, and expansion, of the statutory inference regime; the lack of legislative provision for a right to legal assistance during Garda interview; and relevant European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence. While there are some benefits to overt legislation and safeguards attached to the drawing of inferences from pre-trial silence, the question must be asked whether a detained suspect in Ireland truly has a protected right to silence in real terms, given the proliferation of inference provisions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-81
Author(s):  
Katja Dobrić

Abstract Court interpreting in Croatia is a very unregulated field especially regarding the training and the skills that are to be acquired in order to pro- vide accurate translation at courts. One of the prerequisites according to the Regulations on Court Interpreters in Croatia is knowledge of the structure of judicial power, state government and legal terminology. Although the Regulations prescribe that the training should last no longer than two months, the organisations providing such training shorten this to three or four days. Taking into account all that has been said one realizes that in such short time a per- son cannot be properly qualified to practice as a court interpreter. According to the EU Directive on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings member states should provide adequate training in order to ensure the quality of interpretation and to avoid that suspected or accused persons complain that the quality of interpretation was not good enough to secure the fairness of the proceeding, which according to Article 2 of the Directive they have the right to. Since Croatia joined the European Union on 1 July 2013, it will have to change its Regulations on Court Interpreters in order to com- ply with this Directive. This paper will try to analyze the problems within the scope of court interpreter’s profession in Croatia both in civil and in criminal proceedings. Several examples will be suggested as the possible model for modifying court interpreting in Croatia. Since this profession is often underrated by the national courts, the paper will suggest ways to prevent such views and point out the importance of good court interpretation


Author(s):  
Galina I. Sedova ◽  
◽  
Vasilina Yu. Gromak ◽  

Introduction. An important achievement of modern criminal procedure legislation and law enforcement practice is the implementation of international standards and democratic legal institutions concerning the strengthening of guarantees of respect for the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of participants in criminal proceedings. Among them is the right of a person to receive qualified legal assistance. In this regard, it becomes important to analyse the system of scientific views and studies on the issue of qualified legal assistance and its relationship with the right to protection determined by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and to determine the main characteristics to which such assistance should correspond. Theoretical analysis. The mechanism of procedural support of the right of a person against whom criminal prosecution is being carried out to receive qualified legal assistance is identified, and proposals are formulated to improve the legal guarantees of ensuring legal activity in its implementation. Empirical analysis. A definition of the right to qualified legal assistance has been developed, which represents the rights of a suspect, accused, or victim to use the help of a lawyer with legal education, who is part of the professional legal community, with a confirmed status, in order to ensure the implementation of the purpose of criminal proceedings – in terms of protecting the rights of victims of crimes – and all components of the right to protection from criminal prosecution and prosecution, which are enshrined in the current legislation at all stages of criminal proceedings. Results. The authors carried out a study on scientific representations of the right to qualified legal aid and the distinction between the right to protection and the right to qualified legal aid.


2020 ◽  
pp. 374-383
Author(s):  
В. Ю. Монастирська

The legal basis for the participation of a lawyer in international cooperation in criminal proceedings are international standards based on the provisions of international legal acts on human rights and freedoms and the implementation of criminal justice, guaranteeing the right to defense and the functioning of the bar. The view is supported that international legal acts regulating the activities of the bar can be divided into several groups, namely: international legal acts that ensure the realization of human and civil rights and freedoms of a general nature; international legal acts guaranteeing the realization of human and civil rights and freedoms of a special nature; international legal acts establishing general principles for the provision of legal aid and the activities of lawyers. A lawyer in criminal proceedings during international cooperation is involved to perform the function of protection in case of certain procedural actions within the framework of international legal assistance, extradition of persons who have committed a criminal offense, the implementation of criminal proceedings subject to its adoption. However, on a general basis, a lawyer in criminal proceedings for the protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of participants in criminal proceedings has the status of defense counsel. It is concluded that international legal acts provide for the exercise of the right to legal assistance of a lawyer in the implementation of international cooperation in criminal proceedings by: ensuring timely access of the lawyer to the client; confidentiality of the lawyer’s contacts with the client; enshrining in the legislation such a scope of professional rights of a lawyer, which in modern conditions of development of the state and society is sufficient for the effective implementation of legal aid; non-interference in the lawful professional activity of a lawyer, etc. The provisions formed in the scientific article can be used with the participation of lawyers in international cooperation in criminal proceedings in order to ensure human protection in pretrial investigation and judicial institutions, representation, participation in certain procedural actions.


Author(s):  
Nurana Gurbanova ◽  
Semen Raspopin ◽  
Nikolai Iurtaev ◽  
Dmitrii Bardokin

Modern processes of regulation of the legal market in Russia and other post-Soviet countries take place in the context of the right to qualified legal assistance. The authors used a set of such comparative legal methods as synchronous and intra-system comparison, as well as problem-chronological and formal legal methods. The paper focuses on the definition of qualified legal assistance and its criteria. The research involved a group of entities that provide qualified legal assistance: public authorities, civil society institutions, i.e. bar, notary, legal clinics, public associations, etc., commercial organizations, and individual lawyers. The comparative legal analysis featured qualified legal assistance in the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. A key aspect of the right to qualified legal assistance is the state system of legal aid. The article describes Russian and Belarusian models. The authors believe that there is no appropriate definition of qualified legal aid and that the bar holds the dominant position in the professional lawyers' community. Some countries of the Eurasian Economic Union preserved Soviet experience of bar associations. These countries demonstrate some specific traits of advocacy activities. For instance, institutions of legal consultants function as an alternative to the bar. The Republic of Armenia declared legal practice a business activity. The Republic of Belarus legally regulates specialized bar associations, e.g. legal counseling and law firms that specialize in a particular branch of law. As for free legal assistance, Russian model proved to be more advanced than that of Belarus, as Russia has no statutory mechanisms for obliging legal firms to provide free legal assistance at their own expense. In addition, Russia has a wider range of population categories entitled to receive free legal aid. Another advantage of the Russian free legal aid system is a detailed regulation of the status of legal clinics.


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