Studia Paradyskie

The usual procedure of the ordinary or the hierarch when receiving information about an offense of a cleric contra sextum committed against a minor or a person legally equated with him, is to initiate a preliminary investigation. Such action is necessary whenever the allegation of a crime appears at least probable. Its purpose is to investigate whether fumus delicti exists in a specific case. This is done by collecting evidence in the form of hearing the person who made the report, the alleged victim, witnesses, or the accused himself, and collecting documents that make the accusation probable or undermining it. After the proceedings are completed, the evidence is sent to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith or another competent department. Canon law, however, provides for situations in which an ecclesiastical superior should not initiate a preliminary investigation after receiving a report of an offense. This is mainly the case when the accusation seems improbable. This type of case includes circumstances where the accused was not a clergyman at the time of the crime, the alleged victim was no longer a minor, and if it is obvious that the accused could not be present at the scene of the crime. It is not a taxonomic calculation, but other circumstances that would result in a refusal to initiate a preliminary investigation would also have to result from the impossibility of the crime, and never from an arbitrary decision of the church superior. However, even in these situations, the ordinary or the hierarch must inform the Holy See of his decision. In addition, as a reason for refusing to initiate an investigation, one should indicate situations where it is unnecessary, because the church authority has received sufficient evidence from state law enforcement agencies, or when the act is notorious due to the verdict issued by the state court, or when the accused admits to the accused of the acts, with the simultaneous presentation of at least general evidence confirming the guilt. In addition, no evidence proceedings are instituted in the case of accusations brought against the deceased.