Formed 1811 (1811) Key document [1] | Type Prosecution Service | |
Jurisdiction Government of the Netherlands Headquarters Prins Clauslaan 60 2595 AJ The Hague, The Netherlands (Hague office) Minister responsible , Dutch Minister of Safety and Justice | ||
The Public Prosecution Service (Dutch: Openbaar Ministerie, OM) is the body of public prosecutors in the Dutch criminal justice system.
The literal translation of Openbaar Ministerie, "Public Ministry", can lead to a misunderstanding, as the OM is not a ministry like the Ministry of Finance.
The Public Prosecution Service decides who has to appear in front of the judge and for which offence or crime. It is the body that can decide to prosecute someone. The main domain of the OM is criminal law rather than civil law.
The OM has ten regional offices, directed nationally by the College van Procureurs-Generaal in The Hague. The OM is ultimately responsible to the Minister of Safety and Justice (Minister van Veiligheid en Justitie), who, together with the College, determines the priorities and organisation of the Service.