Staatsanwaltschaft#

Public Prosecutor´s Office, judicial authority, separated from the court, acting for the state in bringing in charges against criminals in a court of law. Officials serving at the Public Prosecutor´s Office have to have worked as judges (Richter), they are organised in a hierarchical order and bound by directives issued by their superiors. The Bezirksanwalt ("district attorney") acts for the Public Prosecutor´s Office at the Bezirksgericht (district court), the Staatsanwalt ("prosecuting attorney") at the Gerichtshof (next instance), the Oberstaatsanwalt ("superior prosecuting attorney") at the Oberlandesgericht (Higher Provincial Court) and the Generalprokurator ("procurator-general") at the Oberster Gerichtshof (Supreme Court of Justice). The Public Prosecutor´s Office also exercises its right of action in matters concerning civil status (nullity of marriage, actions to contest the legitimacy of a child).