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Czechoslovakia The Judiciary
The highest judicial organ at the federal level is the
Supreme Court of Czechoslovakia. Supreme Court judges are elected
by the Federal Assembly to serve ten-year terms of office. The
Federal Assembly also selects a chairman and vice chairman of the
Supreme Court. If the chairman is from the Czech Socialist
Republic, the vice chairman must be from the Slovak Socialist
Republic, and vice versa. The two republics must be represented
by an equal number of Supreme Court judges.
Below the Supreme Court of Czechoslovakia are the Supreme
Court of the Czech Socialist Republic and the Supreme Court of
the Slovak Socialist Republic. Below the supreme court of each
republic are regional and district courts. District courts (one
in easch district) are the courts of general civil jurisdiction
and limited criminal jurisdiction and are presided over by one
professional judge and two lay judges (there are no juries in the
Czechoslovak judicial system). Regional courts (one in each
kraj) are located in the capitals of each of
Czechoslovakia's ten kraje and in Prague. They function as
appellate courts and also have jurisdiction over trials in
serious criminal cases where imprisonment exceeding five years
may be imposed. Regional and district professional judges are
chosen by the Czech National Council and the Slovak National
Council; lay judges are chosen by district national committees.
The Supreme Court of the Czech Socialist Republic and the Supreme
Court of the Slovak Socialist Republic serve as appellate courts
for their respective regional courts and also hear petitions for
breach of law against decisions by the lower courts. The supreme
courts of the two republics decide in panels of three
professional judges.
Petitions for breach of law against decisions of the republic
supreme courts are heard in the Supreme Court at the federal
level. In addition to serving as the nation's final court of
appeals, the Supreme Court of Czechoslovakia examines the
legality of decisions of the federal government and, in general,
ensures the uniform interpretation of the laws. It also hears
requests for recognition of foreign judgments in Czechoslovakia.
The decisions of the Supreme Court emanate from "benches," which
comprise the Supreme Court chairman and selected professional
judges. The Supreme Court also acts as the final court of appeal
in military cases, although below the Supreme Court level
military cases are handled in military courts, which are distinct
from civil courts. Another powerful arm of the judiciary is the
Office of the Prosecutor. The general prosecutor, a federal
officer, is appointed and removed by the president. In addition
to the federal office, an Office of the Prosecutor exists for
each republic. The republic office is administered by the
republic Ministry of Justice. Prosecutors are responsible for
supervising the observance of laws and legal regulations by
public bodies and individual citizens. The Office of the
Prosecutor is responsible for prosecuting both criminal and civil
cases. Prosecutors may recommend modification or repeal of laws,
and they have the right to summon citizens to appear before them.
Data as of August 1987
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