For the Customers

Participants in Criminal Proceedings

Suspect, defendant, the accused person (general term: defendant) = person being accused of the criminal offence (is a party to criminal proceedings). The denomination of the defendant depends on the phase of proceedings:

 

Phase:

Denomination of the defendant:

Pre-trial proceedings

Suspect

Criminal proceedings before a local court

Defendant

Criminal proceedings before a district court:

  • prior to finality of the indictment
  • after finality of the indictment

 

Defendant

Accused person

After finality of the judgment

Convict

Counsel of the defendant = lawyer defending the defendant.

Injured party = person who was injured by means of the criminal offence (their personal or property right). When the result of a criminal offence is the death of a person, the injured parties also include their spouse, cohabiting partner, blood relatives in a direct line, adopted children or adoptive parents, siblings and persons whom the dead person provided for or was obliged to provide for.

Injured party as the prosecutor = injured party who assumes criminal prosecution against the defendant and thus the role of a prosecutor in criminal proceedings.

State prosecutor = prosecutor who files and represents the indictment before the court in public interest (is a party to criminal proceedings).

Investigating judge = judge leading the investigation.

Single judge = judge conducting the proceedings before a local court.

President of the panel = judge conducting the proceedings before a district court.