Today was a field day, albeit a boring one to most. This is going to be an educational blurb on the Hungarian Justice System, and I will not be offended if you skip over it (I wouldn't know if you did anyways).
We had to rise and shine early this morning to get to Corvinus for a guest lecture on the Hungarian Justice System. Our speaker, Dr. Peter Hack, holds a law degree and a PhD from a local university in Budapest and has wide credentials concerning legal systems around the world. We got a brief overview of the Hungarian legal system and how it differs from ours in the United States. Although I was not a fan of waking up so early in the morning, I am glad I now have a greater background on the Hungarian legal system.
Now it's time for some fun facts!
First off, Hungary is more of an Inquisitorial system rather than the Adversarial one we have in the States. So, they are more concerned with finding the facts where as we focus on making sure each person receives the due process of law. When our country was established, our founding fathers were greatly concerned with making sure the state does not take advantage of its citizens, and for that we have a system (although inefficient at times) that ensures each defendant receives fairness during trial procedures. Many countries in Europe operate differently. Hungary does not use a jury system, and prosecutors are present during the entire investigation process. The defendants, if they request a defense attorney, must retain one themselves. Defense attorneys are not all that common in Hungary, and there are probably 12 defense attorneys in all of Hungary that specialize in criminal law (I can name more than 12 defense attorneys that work in Bangor, Maine alone). And to top it off, they can be appointed not by the court but by the police. Interesting, isn't it? At least I think so.
Now, many of you probably have a negative view of the police (well not necessarily my readers since police make up half of my family, but let's pretend). Wait until you get a load of the police's role in Hungary--you Americans might just have a stroke. First off, the police in Hungary is very centralized and militarized, with the National Police force investigating almost all crimes. The general of the national police force delegates work to police forces all across Hungary; there are no Sheriff's offices, no local police, no city police. They all work under the National police. More interestingly, they do not need any training requirements to be police officers. Many of them are teachers who could not get jobs or preferred the police pay to that of education. Now here's the part where you have a stroke--police officers have the right to stop and search you on the street without any "probable cause." To them, you being on the street is enough probable cause to search you. Dr. Peter Hack stated police corruption is common in Hungary (although comparatively not as bad as it is in other countries across the globe) as they have so much power and make very little money. These factors makes for corrupting police very easy; however, since Hungary has changed from a Communist to a Parliamentary Republic, police brutality is decreasing. I bet the police system in the United States is looking a little bit better to you, isn't it? Keep in mind these are general statements. There are always the good ones, and always the bad ones. That much is universal.
Dr. Peter Hack did not have an easy task: trying to explain the Hungarian Justice System in such a short amount of time. However, he did a more than adequate job, and now I can put Hungarian legal issues in a more accurate context than I could before. See? I don't just travel everywhere. I study too! (Although to be honest I think I prefer the traveling).
This legal lesson has been brought to you by yours truly.
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