Aims

This is one of the compulsory courses to be taken when studying the 3rd year law course . It is intended to provide students with basic training in the legal field of criminal procedure.

Main themes

The subject matter includes the rules of judicial organisation, competence in criminal matters and criminal procedure. The topics covered include the general principles governing the law on criminal procedure, the rules related to public and civil actions, the pre-trial phase and the trial itself, and means of recourse against the verdict.

The training focuses mainly on Belgian law, but also takes account of comparative law and sometimes examines possible reforms.

Methodology

This course is given in a large auditorium and takes the form of lectures. Given its objectives, it describes the status of the law and case law, and seeks to create analytical interchanges with the students.

Content and teaching methods

This course is given in a large auditorium and takes the form of lectures. The Criminal Codes are constantly used. The basic manual is the "Droit de la procédure pénale" (co-written with D. Vandermeersch).

The topics are the organisation of the judiciary and police, competence in criminal proceedings and criminal procedure as such. The class includes an introduction describing the general principles governing these matters, mainly those enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the Belgian Constitution, as well as the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The course then moves on to study the main rules relating to the various stages in criminal procedure as such: the civil and public actions to which a criminal offence gives rise, the pre-trial phase, the verdict, recourse and specific procedures

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

The book is available from the beginning of the course.

Other credits in programs