Basic tendencies in the evolution of the principle of immediacy in general criminal procedure in Serbia - part one

Keywords: principle of immediacy, irreplaceability of judges, main trial, presence of parties, reading the records

Abstract


   The subject of our research is the evolution of the principle of immediacy in general criminal proceedings in Serbian law, with the aim of observing the basic tendencies in that development. In this article, the results of the first part of the research were published, in which the analysis and comparison of the principle of immediacy in our first two procedural codes was carried out: the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Kingdom of Serbia from 1865 and the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1929. Both codes generally respected the structural, personal and temporal segments of the principle of immediacy, allowing for a number of exceptions from it. These exceprions were much more radical in the reactionary Code of Criminal Procedure from 1865, of a moderately inquisitorial type. Not only is the principle of immediacy not implemented in it with all its consequences, but it is also made ilusory. The adoption of the principle of positive legal evaluation of evidence and the dominance of the inquisitorial principle contributed to this. The main trialwas only a facade, behind which there was a significant possibility of penetration of investigative materials, regardless of whether it came from judicial or police authorities.

   In contrast, the Criminal Procedure Code of 1929 was based on procedural principles,such as accusatory, immediacy, publicity, orality, adversary, material truth and free evaluation of evidence. The main trial was the focus of the criminal proceedings, in which the principle ofimmediacy was consistently implemented, with some reasonable and mostly acceptable exceptions in the structural and personal party segment. In some cases, the judgment could be basedon investigative materials, but they were always court records. That code consistently adhered to the rule that no one could be tried and convicted in absentia. Its provisions aimed at preserving the continuity of the main trial are to be commended.

References


 


Published
2023/06/12
Section
Original Scientific Paper