N_VAOTP Selected current issues of criminal law

University of Finance and Administration
Summer 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
prof. JUDr. Jiří Jelínek, CSc. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. JUDr. Eduard Bruna, Ph.D.
Department of Law – Departments – University of Finance and Administration
Contact Person: Bc. Tereza Švestáková
Prerequisites
Completion of the subject Criminal Law 1, 2 and 3
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to enable students to master the use of existing knowledge for the interpretation of criminal legislation and to connect the theoretical knowledge acquired so far. It follows the solution of selected questions based on jurisprudence, and then on legal regulation, incl. amendments to the Criminal Code and Criminal Code over the last ten years. The specifics of the interpretation of substantive criminal law and procedural criminal law in relation to the fulfillment of individual aspects of the factual nature of a specific crime with an emphasis on the objective and subjective aspects of the crime. All this with the use of jurisprudence, prestigious commentaries and textbooks combined with considerations about the quality of existing legislation and compliance with the basic principles of both substantive criminal law and procedural criminal law. A special range of problems are criminal-procedural risks when using the possibilities of legal access to guaranteed basic human rights and freedoms. Related to this, the adequacy of the protection of constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms through the judicial system or other mechanisms used for this purpose. This is followed by European criminal law and criminal law within the EU, judicial and police cooperation. Significant emphasis will be placed on the current issue of the stages of criminal proceedings and the role of public authority versus natural or legal persons undergoing criminal proceedings. Although the issue of evidence is taught in a separate subject - Evidence in criminal proceedings, due to the concept of this subject, it is definitely appropriate to deal with this issue here, because it is not only basic, but also absolutely essential for the entire criminal procedure. Separate attention is paid to sanctioning in criminal law, where the types of punishments and penalty rates in particular are the subject of long-term interest of the professional as well as the lay public. The necessity of amendments in this direction is highly topical. A similar situation is also in the area of decision-making and the possibilities of reviewing decisions. It is certainly appropriate to discuss the issue of adversariality and the protection of the rights of the injured party within the framework of adhesion criminal proceedings. Also the issue of crime prevention, general and individual. How does the current legal regulation and jurisprudence of the ECtHR and higher courts contribute to it.
Learning outcomes
Successful passing of the exam from the subject.
Syllabus
1. Status, tasks and functions of criminal law within the Czech legal system. Interpretation of criminal laws. Criminal liability. Meaning and use of jurisprudence in criminal law. 2. Constitutional level and constitutional framework of criminal proceedings. Criminal procedural risks with the possibility of legal access to constitutionally legal human values. Protection of constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms in criminal proceedings. 3. European criminal law and criminal law within the EU. Judicial and police cooperation in the EU. International judicial cooperation in criminal matters. ECtHR activity. Terrorism. 4. Stages of criminal proceedings. Contradiction in the Czech criminal process. Plea Agreement, Plea. Courts - the judicial system. Proceedings before a single judge and a panel. Public Prosecutor's Office - the system of the public prosecutor's office and the PČR in criminal proceedings. 5. Preliminary proceedings. Preliminary measures. Wiretapping and recording of telecommunications traffic. Operational search means. 6. Status of the accused - defendant, defense counsel, victim and interested person. Authorized person, agent and guardian in criminal proceedings. Protection of the injured party's rights using the means of criminal procedural law. Adhesion criminal proceedings. 7. General interpretations of evidence. Individual means of evidence. 8. Criminal liability and its concept according to the Criminal Code, TOPO and the Juvenile Justice Act. 9. Sanctioning in criminal law. The concept of justice, retributive and restorative justice. Types of punishments according to the Criminal Code, TOPO, sanctions according to the Juvenile Justice Act. Probation and Mediation Service. 10. Types of decisions in criminal proceedings. Special management methods. Executive proceedings. 11. Possibilities of reviewing decisions in criminal proceedings. 12. Ordinary and Extraordinary Remedies. Diversions – an alternative to standard criminal proceedings.
Literature
    required literature
  • JELÍNEK, J. a kol. Trestní právo procesní. 7 aktualizované vydání, Leges 2023. ISBN 978-80-7502-687-3. Trestní předpisy ÚZ, Sagit, nejnovější vydání.
  • JELÍNEK, J. a kol.: Trestní zákoník a trestní řád s poznámkami a judikaturou. 9. aktualizované vydání. Leges, 2022, ISBN 978-80-7502-637-8.
  • FOREJT, Petr; HABARTA, Petr a TREŠLOVÁ, Lenka. Zákon o trestní odpovědnosti právnických osob a řízení proti nim: s komentářem. Praha: Linde, 2012. ISBN 9788072018758.
  • CHMELÍK, J., BRUNA, E. Dokazování v trestním řízení. Trestněprávní a kriminalistické aspekty. První vydání. Praha: Eupress VŠFS, 2018. 228 s. ISBN 978-80-7408-175-0.
    recommended literature
  • IVANČÍK, Radoslav a NEČAS, Pavel. Konšpiračné teórie: teoreticko-metodologické východiská ich skúmania. Plzeň: Vydavatelství a nakladatelství Aleš Čeněk, 2024. ISBN 9788073809362.
  • ROMŽA, Sergej a BRUNA, Eduard. Hodnoty trestného práva, kriminalistiky, kriminológie, forenzných a bezpečnostných vied v teórii a praxi: pocta prof. JUDr. Ing. Viktorovi Poradovi, DrSc., Dr. h.c. mult. Plzeň: Vydavatelství a nakladatelství Aleš Čeněk, 20
  • JELÍNEK, J. a kol. Kriminologie. Leges 2021. ISBN 978-80-7502-499-2.
Teaching methods
Lectures and exercises in full-time form, controlled group consultations in combined form; Minimum compulsory attendance at seminars / full-time attendance is 75%, in managed group consultations in combined form of study 50%.
Assessment methods
Criteria for the credit is to prepare a seminar paper on a given topic (minimum 50% points) and pass a written test which consists of   30 questions (minimum 50% points).
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is also listed under the following terms Summer 2026, Summer 2027.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Summer 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.vsfs.cz/course/vsfs/summer2025/N_VAOTP