Unie státních zástupců (USZ) is a professional association of public prosecutors. Among other channels, it publishes its positions on proposals in the justice sector on the social network X. [1]
On 27 October 2026 the association warned against a change to appeal proceedings in criminal cases that the government had approved the day before. According to the union, there is a risk of so-called judicial ping-pong, a situation in which a case is repeatedly passed back and forth between the court of first instance and the appellate court. The association criticised the Ministry of Justice for not taking into account the negative comments of the Supreme Court of the Czech Republic, the Nejvyšší státní zastupitelství and the union itself. [1][2]
“Even if I ruled it out eight times, you would still write what you want.”
In its submission report, the ministry stated that it had taken into account most of the objections raised by the Supreme Court of the Czech Republic, the Nejvyšší státní zastupitelství and the Czech Bar Association, and in the explanatory memorandum it acknowledged that the new arrangement for appeals may contribute to judicial ping-pong. [1]
The amendment also tightens the conditions under which an appellate court may remove a case from the original judge and assign it to another one, while the ministry noted that cases of judicial ping-pong are few. [1]
Justice Minister Jeroným Tejc (ANO) said that the change had been initiated by lawyers, and at a press conference on 26 October 2026 he said that the measure is meant to strengthen the independence of courts of first instance. [1]
Some critics link the change to the Čapí hnízdo case, in which Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) faces an indictment and in which the appellate court overturned two acquittals issued by the Municipal Court in Prague; asked whether there is a connection, Tejc replied: "Even if I ruled it out eight times, you would still write what you want." [1]
Chronology
- — The Unie státních zástupců warned against a change to appeal proceedings in criminal cases approved by the government on 26 October 2026; according to it, there is a risk of so-called judicial ping-pong, in which courts of first and second instance repeatedly send a case back and forth. ČTK / České noviny Seznam Zprávy
Sources
- ČTK / České noviny — 27 October 2026
- Seznam Zprávy — 27 October 2026