Dochodzenie roszczeń cywilnych przez pokrzywdzonego przestępstwem od świadka koronnego
Pursuit of civil claims by a victim of crime from the state’s evidence

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to discuss the issue of the state’s evidence institution, in particular to present civil law issues related to pursuit of civil claims by a crime victim. In connection with the rapid development of crime that can be observed in recent years, a solution that would effectively combat this phenomenon needed to be found. By the Act of June 25, 1997, the State’s Evidence Act was passed; the Act introduced a solution granting a prize in the form of not being liable to punishment for committed crimes in exchange for help in disclosing the circumstances of the offenses the state’s evidence has been aware of. The legislator, granting the state’s evidence immunity against punishment, forgot to secure the victim’s interest in the pursuit of civil claims resulting from the committed crime. A victim is basically deprived of the real possibility of pursuing civil claims from the state’s evidence. The obligation set in art. 3 par. 1 item 1 point b of the State’s Evidence Act introduced by the Act of July 22, 2006 shall be regarded as a positive solution that equalizes the chances of the weakened party, that is the victim. This regulation conditions granting of the immunity of the state’s evidence upon obligatory disclosure by the state’s evidence of their property and the property of other offenders referred to in art. 1 of the State’s Evidence Act. The article presents the position of a victim and their real chances of recovering the damage caused by the criminal group. A victim may pursue their civil claims directly from the state’s evidence, which is virtually impossible, due to the protection of personal data that is the state secret. A victim may also pursue their civil claims from other accomplices of the offense who, in the event of adjudicating the obligation to repair the damage caused, have a recourse claim against the state’s evidence.

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