APELACIONI SUD - About the Court of appeal

LEGAL AID

Court Rules of Procedure stipulate that each court shall, outside of court procedure, offer legal information and initial legal advice to all citizen regardless of their social statues at designated and visibly marked spots in the courthouse (about legal status of an individual, possibility for peaceful resolution of dispute, information related to court cases and certain phases of the procedure, jurisdiction of the court, certain rules of procedure, court fees, manner and place of enforcement of court decision, possibility to exercise right to free legal aid, as well as right to an attorney).

Legal aid can be provided by judicial assistants and other court staff, in accordance with the type of work they do.

Certain information can be distributed by printing it, in a form of public announcement or by distributing written material in the courthouse or in the media (web site or other appropriate method).

In certain court case, parties are informed by the judge assigned to the case about the rights they are entitled to as parties.

According to Civil Procedure Code, court shall advise parties without attorneys or parties who are unaware of their procedural rights in accordance with the law.

Also, Criminal Procedure Code prescribes the duties of the court or state institutions that participate in a case to advise the defendant or other entities in the case that might, due to lack of knowledge, miss some of the actions in the case, and about their rights in accordance with this act and the consequences of omitting the activity.

In accordance with the Court Rules of Procedure:

In civil procedure, court can deliver written notification which contains: instruction about the right to be exempt from payment of the costs of the procedure, right to free legal aid and free representation, right to free interpreter, mediation etc. This notification can be delivered along with the invitation for preliminary or first hearing, as well as for preliminary investigation of the law suit, if court deems it necessary;

In criminal procedure, court can deliver written notification to the suspect or defendant, before the first hearing notifying him about his rights (right to defense, attorney, court appointed attorney, to be tried in a language he understands, interpreter and translator, confidential conversation before the hearing);

Other types of legal aid, which is not general legal information or initial legal advice (drafting law suits and other documents, representation in court) are offered by attorneys, or legal aid services organized in self government units, in accordance with law.