Supreme Court of Croatia

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Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia
Croatian: Vrhovni sud Republike Hrvatske
Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia.jpg
Palace of the Supreme Court is located at the Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square
Supreme Court of Croatia
45°48′41.5″N15°58′43.5″E / 45.811528°N 15.978750°E / 45.811528; 15.978750
JurisdictionFlag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Location Zagreb
Coordinates 45°48′41.5″N15°58′43.5″E / 45.811528°N 15.978750°E / 45.811528; 15.978750
Composition methodElected by the State Judicial Council
Authorized by Constitution of the Republic of Croatia
Judge term lengthFive years in the first term, life tenure after renewal with mandatory retirement at the age of 70
Number of positions42 [1]
Website vshr.hr
President
Currently Radovan Dobronić, mag. iur.
Since15 October 2021

The Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia (Croatian : Vrhovni sud Republike Hrvatske) is the highest court in the country, which ensures the uniform application of laws and equal justice to all.

Contents

Judicial system

Courts protect the legal order of the Republic of Croatia as established by the Constitution and law, and provide for the uniform application of law and equal justice for all. [2]

Administration of justice in the Republic of Croatia is carried out by:

N.B. Since July 2018 (effective as of 1 January 2019) former misdemeanour courts have become specialized sections within municipal courts (2 misdemeanour courts - in Zagreb and in Split - have been retained as separate courts - the Municipal Misdemeanour Court in Zagreb and the Municipal Misdemeanour Court in Split), also former Municipal Court in Zagreb has been divided into three courts: the Municipal Civil Court in Zagreb, the Municipal Criminal Court in Zagreb and the Municipal Labour Court in Zagreb.

Powers and responsibilities

Supreme Court basic duties:

  1. ensures the uniform application of law and equal protection of all citizens before the law,
  2. discusses all important legal issues arising from the court practice
  3. decides on extraordinary legal remedies against final decisions of all courts in the Republic of Croatia (cassation, criminal revision etc.),
  4. hears appeals against decisions of county courts rendered in the first instance and, in special cases, hears appeals against decisions of county courts rendered in the second instance,
  5. hears appeals against decisions of the High Commercial Court of the Republic of Croatia, the High Administrative Court of the Republic of Croatia, the High Misdemeanour Court of the Republic of Croatia and the High Criminal Court of the Republic of Croatia, and any other court when specified so by the law,
  6. decides on the conflict of jurisdiction between the courts in the territory of the Republic of Croatia when they have the same immediately superiour court,
  7. provides for the professional development of judges.

Composition

The President of the Supreme Court is elected and relieved of duty by the Croatian Parliament at the proposal of the President of the Republic and following a prior opinion of the Parliament's Justice Committee and the Plenary Session of the Supreme Court.

Judicial office is permanent, but exceptionally, at assuming the judicial office for the first time, judges are appointed for a five-year term. After the renewal of the appointment, judges assume their duty as permanent.

All judges are appointed by the National Judicial Council and relieves them of judicial duty, as well as decides on their disciplinary responsibility.

A judge can be relieved of judicial office upon:

  1. self-request
  2. becoming permanently incapacitated to perform judicial office
  3. becoming unworthy of the judicial office after being sentenced for a criminal offence
  4. a decision of the National Judicial Council due to the commitment of an act of serious infringement of discipline
  5. when reaching 70 years of age

Presidents of the Supreme Court

No.Full name
(Lifespan)
Term beganTerm endedServiceNotes
1. Vjekoslav Vidović [3]
(1919–2006)
12 December 199014 February 19921 year,
64 days
Went into mandatory retirement after a partial term of office.
2. Zlatko Crnić [3]
(1940–1992)
29 March 199229 September 1992184 daysDied in a car accident during his first term.
3. Milan Vuković [3]
(1933–2018)
1 December 19921995First term.
4. Krunislav Olujić [3]
(1952–)
26 May 199519 February 19971 year,
269 days
Relieved from office by the National Judicial Council on 14 January 1997 and decision is later confirmed by the Chamber of Counties of the Croatian Parliament.
5. Milan Vuković
(1933–2018)
28 February 19971999Second term.
6. Marijan Ramušćak [4]
(1938–)
10 March 19992001
7. Ivica Crnić [5]
(1951–)
15 May 200115 May 20054 years,
0 days
One full term. Did not seek reelection.
8. Branko Hrvatin [6]
(1959–)
19 July 200519 July 201712 years,
0 days
Three full terms.
9. Đuro Sessa
(1957–) [7]
20 July 201720 July 20214 years,
0 days
One full term. Did not seek reelection.
10. Radovan Dobronić [8] [9]
(1960–)
15 October 2021Incumbent (Current term ends on 15 October 2025)2 years, 286 daysCurrently serving first term.

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References

  1. EasyWeb.asp
  2. "About Judicial Power". www.vsrh.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Former Presidents". www.vsrh.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  4. "Marijan Ramušćak". www.vsrh.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  5. "Ivica Crnić". www.vsrh.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  6. "Branko Hrvatin". www.vsrh.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  7. "Đuro Sessa". www.vsrh.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  8. "New President of the Supreme Court of Croatia | Network of the Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Court of the European Union". www.network-presidents.eu. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  9. "Radovan Dobronić". www.vsrh.hr. Retrieved 2023-12-05.