Organisation of the judicial system

11 appellate districts – consisting of forty one  districts (okreg) that, in turn, are divided into 326 regional prosecution offices and 300 regional courts. In December 2003, Poland had 4976 Public Prosecutors and 8322 Judges in functions.

For more information:

Judicial systems in Member States - Poland (e-Justice website)

Judicial cooperation

General description of the national system for international judicial cooperation in criminal matters

A decentralized model for judicial co-operation in criminal matters based on the direct contact between local authorities, has been adopted. Within this context, Poland has ratified the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters also know as “Convention 2000” and has made a declaration on the article 27. º, (5).

Competent Authorities for Judicial Co-operation

Investigation is conducted by a prosecutor in the cases of more complicated and serious offences. Conducting an inquiry may be delegated to the police. Prosecutor takes all decisions in preparatory proceeding apart from those reserved for a court (pre-trial detention, interception). The court is the competent authority for judicial co-operation at the trial stage.
For further details, please find a presentation from Malgorzata Mokrecka-Podsiadlo (Prosecutor at the Regional Prosecutor's Office Gdansk) on the Legal System and International Cooperation in Poland.

 

Links to some sections of the EJN website

Links to the relevant sections of the Council of Europe and United Nations Treaties Offices websites containing information on the conventions to which Poland is party

Useful national links