Municipal state attorney's offices act before municipal courts and public bodies.
County state attorney's offices act before county, commercial and administrative courts.
Special state attorney's offices act before courts determined by law.
The State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia undertakes legal actions to protect the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia and legality before the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia and the Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia and acts before the Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia, the High Administrative Court of the Republic of Croatia and before foreign courts and other bodies, unless otherwise provided by law.
The State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia gives opinions on draft laws and other regulations important for the organization and work of the State Attorney's Office and the performance of the State Attorney's Office duties.
The State Attorney General of the Republic of Croatia may decide that representation in a certain type of civil and administrative cases within the jurisdiction of municipal and county courts or public bodies is performed by one state attorney's office.
The State Attorney General of the Republic of Croatia may decide that representation in a certain type of case is performed by one state attorney's office for several commercial and administrative courts with territorial and subject-matter jurisdiction or that certain legal actions in representation are performed by the state attorney's office where the proceeding is conducted.
Before a commercial court that has territorial jurisdiction over the area for which two or more county state attorney's offices have territorial jurisdiction, the county state attorney's office that will conduct the case is determined according to the registered office of the legal entity or the registered office or residence of the individual trader or craftsman who is a party to the proceedings, or who is undergoing a bankruptcy or liquidation procedure.
When several parties from the area of territorial jurisdiction of several county state attorney's offices and a foreign legal or natural person participate in the proceedings, the county state attorney's office in whose territory the seat of the commercial court conducting the proceedings is located, shall act.
The County State's Attorney's Office that has started representation in a proceeding before the Commercial Court will continue to represent until the end of the proceedings, even if the circumstances under which its jurisdiction was determined change.
In arbitration and mediation proceedings in the Republic of Croatia, the State Attorney's Office that has jurisdiction is the one that would be competent to act before a court pursuant to Article 34 of this Act.
The Municipal State Attorney’s Office that is competent to render opinions on the legal validity of a legal act by which the Republic of Croatia acquires or alienates real properties from its ownership or disposes with them in another way, is the office whose jurisdiction applies to the area where the real properties, that are subject of a contract, are located, unless otherwise prescribed by a special law.
The subject-matter and territorial jurisdiction of a state attorney's office is determined in accordance with the provisions of the law which determine the jurisdiction of the courts before which they exercise their powers, unless otherwise provided by this Act.
For justified reasons, the State Attorney General of the Republic of Croatia may decide that certain tasks in the preliminary procedure on behalf of a municipal state attorney's office are performed by a county state's attorney's office.
Acting against perpetrators of criminal offenses and other punishable acts
A competent state attorney's office in criminal cases acts against perpetrators of criminal offenses for which the prosecution is conducted ex officio or upon motion, and in order to perform this function it exercises the powers and duties prescribed by law.
As an exception to the provision of paragraph 1 of this Article, in cases of actions performed by a judge of investigation in accordance with the law governing criminal procedure, the municipal state attorney's office shall act before the county court in relation to the criminal offenses within the jurisdiction of the municipal court.
The competent state attorney's office acts in misdemeanour proceedings in accordance with the powers determined by law.
Taking legal actions for the purpose of protecting property interests of the Republic of Croatia
Representation of the Republic of Croatia
According to the law, the State Attorney's Office represents the Republic of Croatia in court, arbitration and administrative proceedings, mediation proceedings and proceedings before the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia and has the power to take all legal actions as a party to the proceedings.
The State Attorney's Office represents the Government of the Republic of Croatia in administrative disputes.
Representation based on the power of attorney
Exceptionally, the competent state attorney's offices in civil and administrative cases may, on the basis of a special power of attorney, represent legal entities owned or predominantly owned by the Republic of Croatia as well as the institutions whose founder or co-founder is the state.
If the competent state attorney refuses the power of attorney, s/he will inform immediately a senior state attorney, who will make the final decision.
Competent state attorney's offices may, based on a special power of attorney and with the consent of the State Attorney General of the Republic of Croatia, represent local and regional government units in court cases, when local and regional government units and the Republic of Croatia have the position of co-litigants.
Representation of the Republic of Croatia in proceedings before foreign courts, international and other bodies
The State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia represents the Republic of Croatia in property disputes and other proceedings for the protection of property rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia before foreign courts and international and other bodies.
If, according to the applicable law, the State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia cannot represent in proceedings held before foreign courts, international or other bodies, the State Attorney General of the Republic of Croatia may authorize a foreign attorney, with the consent of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.
The State Attorney General of the Republic of Croatia submits a proposal to the Government of the Republic of Croatia for approval, on the basis of a previously obtained opinion of the Committee for the Selection of Lawyers in Proceedings before Foreign Courts.
In proceedings before foreign courts, international or other bodies to which the Republic of Croatia is a party, the Government of the Republic of Croatia may decide to be represented by a lawyer, with or without the participation of the State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia in the proceeding.
In cases requiring a particular specialist knowledge, the State Attorney General of the Republic of Croatia may hire a prominent expert to participate in the proceedings as an advisor on the side of the State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia.
In proceedings before foreign courts, international and other bodies in which the Republic of Croatia is represented by a lawyer with the participation of the State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia or in which the State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia independently represents the Republic of Croatia, the State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia collects from competent state bodies and other persons relevant documentation and evidence required to conduct the proceedings, and it coordinates the work of these bodies.
In proceedings in which a lawyer represents the Republic of Croatia, the State Attorney's Office of the Republic of Croatia gives instructions to the lawyer regarding the representation and provides professional legal assistance.