The court officer is a professional who works in the administrative offices of the courts and the Public Prosecution services.

It is the court officer’s responsibility to:

• Receive documents, requests, and other relevant papers, adding them to the process and delivering them to the judge and the Public Prosecutor.
  
• Notify, usually by letter, the participants in the proceedings of the decisions taken by the judge or the Public Prosecutor, for example, the date and location of the trial.
  
• Write the minutes, that is, the description of everything that happens during the proceedings.
  
• Before any procedural act, call the names of the people who were summoned and inform the judge or Public Prosecutor who is present and who is absent.
  
• Hand out the statements confirming court attendance requested by participants in the proceedings to justify their absence from work or school.
  
• During the trial, record the statements of the participants.
  
• The court officers who work in the Public Prosecution services, may also be responsible for taking the statements of the victim, the defendant and the witnesses.

Remember:
If you want to clarify any questions about the practical aspects of the functioning of the court, you can ask a court officer. They can explain to you in a clear and simple manner, what you want to know.

You can also contact. The victim support officers at APAV can explain to you your rights, the phases of the criminal proceedings, and your role in them. The victim support officers can also accompany you during all these phases. If you want to know more about the role of the Victim Support Officer, click here.