Fast track courts

Radio Polonia ^ | 10.01.2006

[lizol]

Fast track courts

Poland has announced plans to cut lengthy delays in court cases for petty crimes to a mere twenty four hours. The fast track to justice scheme is designed to judge and sentence people in record time freeing up a huge backlog of cases. Observers say that such a scheme could be counterproductive and if implemented may result in unfair judicial practices.

Ten years ago catching car thieves red handed and then bringing them to court for sentencing was a very lengthy process. Poland still has a backlog of some 200,000 cases on the books.

In an effort to cut lengthy delays in court the Ministry of Justice intends to judge and sentence perpetrators of petty crimes, if caught red handed or moments after the act within 24 hours.

The Justice Ministry argues that omitting some judicial practices completely would free up the system entirely. Justice Minister Zbignew Ziobro told Polish radio that the fast track to justice draft will be debated in parliament soon.

'Instead of lengthy preparatory procedure we intend to change the system in such a way as to speed things up.'

Under the new fast track plan prosecutors would have 48 hours to file a criminal proceeding against suspects caught red-handed or moments after for an offence of hooliganism, assault and battery, drunk driving and other petty crimes where the prison sentence would be no longer than two years. Then the courts would judge and sentence the offender within 24 hours.

Piotr Kruszyñski, a professor of law at Warsaw University, argues that the plan is a good one. This will make a hooligan think twice before he acts, because he would knew he would land up behind bars within 24 hours.

I though the fast track scheme may sound good in theory, practicing criminal lawyer Dagmara Woznikowska feels that such a remedy to Poland’s bogged down judicial system isn’t realistic.

In the past Poland has been placed in the wrong several times by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg for lengthy delays in domestic legal cases. So can this scheme make matters any better? Justice and Home affairs critic Karol Reczkin from the Natolin European Center thinks that such a scheme may backfire causing a backlog of appeals.

Poland’s conservative Law and Justice which won both presidential and general elections last year has made improving this country’s justice system one of its key goals.