Zasada prawdy w polskim procesie karnym – uwagi na tle zmian k.p.k

Abstract

The amendment to the Polish Code of Criminal Procedure (PCCP), which became effective as of 1 July 2015, had changed the model of the Polish criminal trial by opening it up to be more adversarial. One of the problems, which was disputed in reference to the reform was whether the principle of material (objective) truth could be still established on the basis of the amended Act. According to some Polish jurists the principle of material truth had been significantly marginalized and become in fact the principle of formal truth. In their opinion this was a result of reducing the possibility of taking initiative in the filed of evidence by the judge, who as an impartial arbitrator should allow only parties to provide evidence. Meanwhile, the legislator had prepared another amendment to the PCCP, which was to restore most of the revised rules. The new law entered into force on 15 April 2016.

Keywords

• the amendment of the Polish Code of Criminal Procedure
• the initiative in the matter of evidence
• the principle of formal truth
• the principle of material truth
• criminal procedural law