Guide to Polish Legal Citation

Edit: Judicial Acts (Cases)

<div>
	<strong>Citation Format:</strong> < type of decision > [< term for this decision in English >] < <span style="">abbreviation of court</span> > [< full name of court in English >] z [of] < date > < , > < docket number > (< reporter + year +issue(s) if applicable + section >)</div>
<div>
	Wyrok [judgment] SN [Supreme Court] z [of] Nov. 9, 2007, II KKN 543/07 (OSNKW 2007, z. 4 poz. 67)</div>
<div>
	Wyrok [judgment] Sądu Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów [Court of Competition and Consumer Protection] z [of] June 19, 2002, XVII Amc 34/01 (Dz. Urz. UOKiK, nr 3-4, poz. 17)</div>
<h2>
	<span style=""><b>Type of decision<br />
	</b></span></h2>
<div>
	<strong>Decisions in Polish courts are issued in the form of:</strong></div>
<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td>
				Wyrok:</td>
			<td>
				A judgment on the subject matter of the case,</td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td>
				Postanowienie:</td>
			<td>
				A ruling usually on a procedural matter,</td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td>
				Uchwała:</td>
			<td>
				Resolution. Some resolutions of the Polish Supreme Court (SN) (especially those issued by panel of seven judges) announce a principle of law that the SN expects to follow in future cases. An uchwała is not binding on lower courts.</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	Poland is a civil law country. In principle, court decisions have formal precedential authority only with regard to lower courts in the same proceeding. The SOKiK, described below, is the only exception.</p>
<h2>
	<span style=""><b>Courts</b></span></h2>
<p>
	<strong>Ordinary Jurisdiction:</strong></p>
<table width="">
	<tbody>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td width="\">
				Supreme Court – Sąd Najwyższy</td>
			<td>
				1917-date</td>
			<td>
				SN</td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td>
				Court of Appeals in… (name of the city) – Sąd Apelacyjny w…</td>
			<td>
				1917-date</td>
			<td>
				SA w...</td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td>
				Regional Court in… (name of the city) – Sąd Okręgowy w…</td>
			<td>
				1917-date</td>
			<td>
				SO w...</td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td>
				District Court in... (name of the city) - Sąd Rejonowy w…</td>
			<td>
				1917-date</td>
			<td>
				SR w...</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	 </p>
<table width="">
</table>
<p>
	<strong>Administrative Jurisdiction:</strong></p>
<table width="">
	<tbody>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td width="\">
				Supreme Administrative Court – Najwyższy Sąd Administracyjny</td>
			<td>
				1980-date</td>
			<td>
				NSA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td>
				Regional Administrative Court – Wojewódzki Sąd Administracyjny</td>
			<td>
				2004-date</td>
			<td>
				WSA</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	<strong>Special Jurisdiction:</strong></p>
<table width="">
	<tbody>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td width="\">
				Court of Competition and Consumer Protection – Sąd Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów</td>
			<td>
				2000-date</td>
			<td>
				SOKiK</td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="\">
			<td>
				Constitutional Tribunal – Trybunał Konstytucyjny</td>
			<td>
				1986-date</td>
			<td>
				TK</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div left:="\" style="">
	<strong>Sąd Rejonowy</strong> is usually a court of first instance for some smaller civil and criminal cases.<br />
	<strong>Sąd Okręgowy</strong> has original jurisdiction in some civil and criminal cases as well as appellate jurisdiction in some matters from Sąd Rejonowy.<br />
	<strong>Sąd Apelacyjny</strong> hears appeals from the Sąd Okręgowy.<br />
	<strong>Wojewódzki Sąd Administracyjny</strong> hears appeals from administrative decisions. <br />
	<strong>Najwyższy Sąd Administarcyjny</strong> hears appeals from the Wojewódzki Sąd Administracyjny.<br />
	<strong>Sąd Najwyższy</strong> is the Polish Supreme Court. <br />
	<strong>Sąd Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów </strong>is a special division of the Regional Court in Warsaw, designated to adjudicate matters concerning competition and consumer law. If the SOKIK rules a consumer standard term is unfair, the ruling is publicly recorded and is forbidden in all consumer contracts. <br />
	<strong>Trybunał Konstytucyjny </strong>has the authority for judicial review of claims under the Polish constitution.</div>
<h2>
	<span style=""><b>Docket number (bolded below)</b></span></h2>
<div>
	e.g., Wyrok [judgment] Sądu Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów [Court of Competition and Consumer Protection] z [of] June 19, 2002, <strong>XVII Amc 34/01</strong> (Dz. Urz. UOKiK, nr 3-4, poz. 17)</div>
<div>
	 </div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	<strong>Docket number:</strong> A Roman numeral indicating the court division (followed by Arabic numerals showing a court subdivision if applicable); repertorium (the acronym for a court’s classification of cases); the individual case number followed by two digits corresponding to the year of filing.</div>
<h2>
	<span style=""><b>Repertorium (bolded below)</b></span></h2>
<div>
	e.g., Wyrok [sentence] SN [Supreme Court] z [of] Nov. 9, 2007, II <strong>KKN</strong> 543/07 (OSNKW 2007, z. 4 poz. 67)</div>
<div>
	 </div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	The Repertorium designates the type of cases, which may also provide information on the division of the court. Common designations start as follows:<br />
	“C” indicates Civil <br />
	“K” indicates Criminal (e.g. KKN) <br />
	“Ns” indicates usually a property or inheritance matter <br />
	“Am” indicates SOKiK</div>
<h2>
	<span style=""><b>Official Reporters (bolded below)</b></span></h2>
<div>
	e.g., Wyrok [judgment] SN [Supreme Court] z [of] Nov. 9, 2007, II KKN 543/07 (<strong>OSNKW</strong> 2007, z. 4 poz. 67)</div>
<div>
	 </div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	Selected cases appear in courts’ official reporters. Some cases also can be found in commercial reporters and electronic databases. Common official reporters are as follows:</div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	 </div>
<div>
	<strong>Supreme Court Reporters:</strong></div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	OSNP - Labor Law, Social Security and Public Affairs Chamber (From 1991 through 2003, this reporter was designated as OSNAP instead.)<br />
	OSNC – Civil Chamber (From 1965 through 1994 and in 2003 designated as OSNCP)<br />
	OSNKW – Criminal and Military Chamber (bolded in example above)</div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	 </div>
<div>
	<strong>Appellate Courts of Ordinary Jurisdiction Reporters:</strong></div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	OSA – only one type of reporter, encompassing all chambers is issued</div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	 </div>
<div>
	<strong>Administrative Courts Reporters:</strong></div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	ONSA – Supreme Administrative Court<br />
	SA/abbreviation of the name of the city – District Administrative Court</div>
<div left:="\" style="">
	 </div>
<div>
	Court of Competition and Consumer Protection: Dz. Urz. UOKiK</div>
<div>
	 </div>
<div>
	Constitutional Tribunal publishes its decisions in: OTK ZU.</div>

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