APELACIONI SUD - Public access to work of the court

PUBLIC ACCESS TO WORK OF THE COURT

One of the methods to enhance trust of the citizens in work of the court is providing public access to its work. Thus, the citizens are given the opportunity to become familiar with positive regulations, court procedure, court officials, thus, improving the public image of the court.

Information about work of the court becomes available to the public by:

• Issuing a Newsletter about the work of the court, containing basic information about the court, its organization, jurisdiction, offices, internal regulations, annual distribution of work, work with parties, reports, statistics etc;

• Posting the time, place and case type at visible place in front of the hearing room or in some other appropriate way;

• Enabling all adult citizens and representatives of the media to attend hearings and trials;

• Enabling photographing, recording and public display of court building and court proceedings;

• Issuing notification to interested individuals and the media during court proceedings;

• Issuing court decisions;

• Issuing legal opinions;

• Designing court web site.

ATTENDANCE OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, PUBLIC TRIALS AND DISCUSSIONS BEFORE THE SECOND-INSTANCE COURT

In general, all court cases are public; therefore, all adult citizens, as well as media representatives have the right to attend the hearings and trials.

If there is significant interest of the public in certain case, the court administration shall provide adequate court room which can take many people. In accordance with an order issued by the Court President, Court Panel shall hold a hearing in bigger court room.

Public is excluded in circumstances prescribed by the law.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

The President of the Court and Media Coordinator of the Court of Appeal in Belgrade issue the statements about the work of the court, as well as about individual cases.

The representatives of the media can get information about high profile cases from Mirjana Piljic, Media Coordinator, telephone number 00 381 11 363 50 40.

Protected information or information which is considered secret, according to special regulations, and can not be announced or is limited by the law, shall not be announced.

PHOTOGRAPHING AND RECORDING

Court President issues written approval for photographing and recording in the court house.
Photographing, audio and video recoding of the public hearings and trials before second-instance court, for the purpose of public showing of the material, is done in accordance with the approval issued by the court president, with previously received approval of the president of the panel, judge and written approval given by the parties and other participants of recorded activity.

Video and audio (tape) recording of main hearing in criminal case and public presentation (reproducing) of the material in cases other than those stated in Article 179 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is done in accordance with the approval issued by the Supreme Court of Cassation, with previously obtained opinion of the president of the panel, judge and parties.

After obtaining approval, photographing and recording shall be done under supervision of judge, thus, enabling undisturbed hearing and order in the court room.

When issuing approval for photographing and recording, the interest of the public, the interest of the procedure, privacy and safety of the participants in the procedure shall be taken into consideration.
Petition for photographing and recoding in the offices of the Court of Appeal in Belgrade can be filed in writing, by submitting the petition on the counter number 38 in the court or by sending it to fax number 00 381 11 363 50 45, as well as by e-mail to uprava@bg.ap.sud.rs. Petition for photographing and recording, must be submitted not later than one day before photographing or recoding, in order to enable timely decision-making.

Here you can download the form for petition for photographing and recoding.