The pre-trial stage is the part of criminal proceedings between opening of the case and the start of the court proceedings. During the pre-trial stage, the police or the prosecutor lead your case.
The pre-trial stage consists two of parts: the police stage and the judicial investigation stage.
Police stage
The investigation stage is the first stage of the proceedings when the police are trying to establish what happened in the case. It will usually be carried out by the police or in exceptional cases by another special body, like the prosecutor.
If you think that your rights have been violated by certain actions or decisions of the police officers, you should submit a complaint to the Ministry of the Interior.
Judicial investigation stage
After the police stage the prosecutor will request the investigating judge to open an investigation. The purpose of the investigation is to gather evidence. You have the right to draw attention to all the facts during the investigation and to propose evidence. After the investigating judge concludes the investigation, the prosecutor will decide whether to file an indictment. Any complaints about the length of the investigation or any violations during the investigation should be addressed to the president of the court.
example If the investigating judge has denied you access to the part of the case file, which relates to the crime from which you have suffered, you should submit a complaint to the president of the court.
Procedures and time limits
All decisions that can be appealed must contain information about the procedure and the time-limits for their appeal. It is very important to observe the time limits allowed for all types of claims. According to the Criminal Procedure Act, if the law does not prescribe differently, the time limit for appeal against court decisions is 15 days.