In criminal proceedings, the district court decides whether the accused has committed an offence. If the accused is found guilty, the court decides what kind of punishment will be imposed for the offence.
Court proceedings are usually public, which means the general public can follow them. As a rule, court decisions are also public. In some cases, the court may process the case in camera and conceal parts of the decision. Read more about the publicity of court proceedings on the website of the Finnish courts of lawOpens in a new window..
For example, criminal cases include
driving while intoxicated
assaults
thefts
narcotics offences
homicides.
In a criminal case, the parties are the prosecutor and the accused, or the defendant. The victim, or the injured party, is also a party to the case if they have claims.
Witnesses are also often heard in trials. For more information on acting as a witness in court proceedings, go to page As a witness in a trial.
A district court begins to process the criminal case once the application for a summons has been received at the district court. The court delivers a summons to the accused, inviting them to the main hearing.
A criminal case is usually heard by one judge or a composition consisting of a judge and two lay judges. In some cases, the criminal case is heard by several judges.
In the hearing, the prosecutor presents their demands. The prosecutor may present the claim for damages on behalf of the injured party, the victim, if the victim requests this. If the injured party, or the victim, is present in the hearing, they can make their own claim and indicate whether they agree with the prosecutor.
The defendant, or the accused, can either admit or deny the act. The defendant also states whether they agree to pay the compensation demanded by the injured party.
Next, the prosecutor and the injured party justify their position in more detail. The defendant expresses their views on the matters presented in court. After this, witnesses are heard and other evidence is reviewed.
Finally, the court will consider the case and issue a judgement.
Simple criminal cases at a district court can sometimes be dealt with in a written procedure. In this case, the accused or the victim does not need to appear in court. Both the victim and the accused must agree to the procedure. In addition, the accused must acknowledge that they have committed the offence that they are suspected of.
If you are a party and dissatisfied with the judgement or decision issued by the district court, you can usually appeal against it to a court of appeal. Together with the judgement, the district court provides instructions on how to appeal.