Hivatalból

Hivatalból is a Hungarian legal term meaning ex officio or “by office,” used to describe actions taken by an authority by virtue of its official duties rather than at the request of a private party. The word combines hivatal (office, official) with the suffix -ból (from), functioning as an adverb in legal texts.

In legal practice, hivatalból indicates that an action or proceeding is initiated or carried out due to the authority’s statutory powers or obligations, not because someone has filed a complaint or petition. It is commonly used in criminal, administrative, and civil contexts to denote official initiative or oversight.

In criminal law, authorities may start or continue investigations ex officio if there are grounds for action and public interest requires it, independent of a victim’s report. In civil and administrative law, courts or agencies can act ex officio to enforce laws, correct illegality, or take necessary measures without a private applicant, within the limits set by statute or procedural codes.

The exact scope of hivatalból actions varies by statute. Some offences or procedures still require a complaint or petition to trigger proceedings, in which case actions are not ex officio. The term highlights that the state or official body has a duty or power to act on its own initiative.

See also: ex officio (international usage).