What is a criminal case?

If you decided to file a complaint against the abuser, a criminal proceeding will be initiated, i.e. a formal examination of evidence and circumstances by a judge to decide on the perpetrator’s guilt and the punishment that can be imposed. A criminal case can be initiated at the request of law enforcement bodies, i.e. ex officio, without your consent. To be better informed about what happens during the trial and what your rights are, it is good to be assisted by a lawyer.

In compliance with the Moldovan law, the evidence shall be assessed by the judge and by the criminal prosecution officer in accordance with their own belief and any evidence submitted by you can be important.

The police (which is also called the criminal prosecution body) has the obligation to take all the necessary measures to prevent and end the crime. In the case of a domestic violence crime, as in the case of any other crime, the police shall take measures to uncover the circumstances of the crime, establish the evidence and shall notify immediately the prosecutor about the committed crime and the start of the criminal prosecution actions.

The prosecutor shall lead and supervise the criminal prosecution of the perpetrator and has an important role in the criminal prosecution. All the actions shall be conducted under the law, in line with a certain procedure, which ensures the observance of the rights of all participants in the process. Thus, each participant (including the victim of domestic violence) has a well-defined role, with the ‘game rules’ clearly indicated in the legislation (e.g., the Criminal Procedure Code), and the violation of these rules can be sanctioned.