Strapabíróság

Strapabíróság is a term found in Hungarian legal discourse and fiction to denote a court designed to adjudicate cases rapidly, using shortened procedures and accelerated decision-making. It is not an official institution of Hungary’s judiciary, where expedited or fast-track procedures exist in specific contexts, but not a separate, named court.

The word combines bíróság (court) with a modifier suggesting speed or urgency. In real-world use, strapabíróság appears mainly in legal theory, commentary, or literary works as an illustration of what a justice system focused on speed might look like. It is not standardized across texts, and its features vary by author or narrative.

Typical discussions describe strapabíróság as handling relatively straightforward matters, such as minor criminal offenses, small-claims civil disputes, or urgent cases where delay would cause irreparable harm. The overarching aim is to reduce backlogs and shorten trial times, sometimes at the expense of exhaustive evidence collection or extended rights of appeal.

Proposed procedures often include streamlined rules of evidence, shortened filing and hearing timelines, and simplified formats for judgments. Some depictions imagine panels of judges with authority to issue quick decisions, followed by limited or expedited avenues for review.

Critics argue that such a system risks compromising due process, leading to rushed judgments, unequal outcomes, and constitutional conflicts. In practice, strapabíróság remains largely a theoretical or fictional construct rather than a concrete, codified institution within Hungarian law.

See also: fast-track court, expedited trial, simplified trial.