The organisation of the Curia

The Curia is the highest judicial authority in Hungary. Under the authority of its President it has three departments: criminal, civil and administrative-labour law departments. Each department has various chambers: chambers hearing appellate cases, chambers passing uniformity decisions, chambers issuing decisions on principles, as well as working groups examining judicial practice.

Scope of authority of the President of NOJ and the central administrative supervision of the National Judicial Council (NJC)

The National Office for the Judiciary (hereinafter: NOJ) as the central administrative body of the judiciary and as an accredited member of the Official Statistical Service fulfils its statistical function according to the principles laid down in the Practical Code of National Statistics. The judiciary is committed to continually improve the quality of said function.

In civil proceedings the plaintiff (that can be both natural and non-natural persons) seeks to protect their property and/or personal rights.

Civil proceedings have three major parts:

Programme

I. Means and measures of crisis communication

• Tracey Turner-Tretz – Press officer, European Court of Human Rights
• Kornél Bőhm – Head of section of Crisis Communications at Hungarian Public Relations Association (MPRSZ)

II. Publicity in cases concerning remote audition

• Villem Lapimaa – Judge, Tallinn Court of Appeal

The high quality and timeliness of the legal proceedings taken before Hungarian courts is reflected in the Scoreboard of the European Commission. The successes reflected in the numbers can also be attributed to changes in the organisational culture that, in turn, are based on the strategic objectives set by the President of the National Office for the Judiciary. Effective from 2012 these changes can be traced in the infrastructure and administrative modernisation of the judiciary.

It is a strategic goal and also at the same time a statutory obligation of the President of the NOJ to ensure the trainings of the judges that includes the constant development of the content of the trainings and the training system, as well. In 2015 the training central system was supplemented by local and regional trainings. This means that without interfering with the own trainings organized by the respective courts, the NOJ supports the local or regional trainings with quality assurance and financing.

Fundamentals of the system of appointment and application of court leaders

The appointment of court leaders is for 6 years, except in the case of appointment as president of a chamber for an indefinite term. Court leader offices can only be held by judges appointed for an indefinite term.

Continuing the success of the last six years’ conferences with the participation of 584 guests from 25 European countries in total, the National Office for the Judiciary organises the next international Conference on Courts and Communication in Budapest on 15-16 October 2019.

The objective of criminal proceedings are to make a decision about the criminal responsibility of a person who committed a crime. In Hungary only a court can establish guilt/criminality and impose a sentence on a person.

In case of a suspicion that a crime was committed, the proceedings are started either ex officio or by bringing a charge against somebody. Such charge may be brought by either the victim of the crime, or anybody becoming aware of such crime. The report must be made to the police.

Name: National Judicial Council

Address: 16 Szalay utca, H-1055 Budapest, Hungary

Correspondence: Pf. (PO Box) 24. H-1363 Budapest, Hungary

Phone number: +36 1 354 4100

Fax number: +36 1 312 4453

E-mail: obt@obt.birosag.hu