Courts and prosecutors

Schools, healthcare, taxes: the same question does not always lead to the same level of government. Start with a policy area, then follow responsibility to an institution.

Which level regulates the court where you exercise your rights?

Overview of legal responsibilities, not a chain of command: “shared” includes coordination or different functions in the same field. Cantons exist only in FBiH; local functions depend on entity laws, and Brčko is a separate unit. Listed political bodies do not control independent judicial and regulatory decisions.

State

Shared

The Constitutional Court of BiH safeguards the Constitution, while the Court of BiH performs statutory judicial functions, including administrative disputes against final acts of state institutions. The HJPC appoints judges and prosecutors in the courts and prosecutors’ offices listed by law, not judges of all constitutional courts.

FBiH

Shared

The Federation regulates federal judicial institutions and judicial administration; courts decide independently of the executive.

RS

Main responsibility

RS regulates its judicial bodies and enforcement of sanctions; judicial power is exercised by courts.

Brčko

Main responsibility

The District has Basic and Appellate Courts, a Prosecutor’s Office and a Judicial Commission under the Statute.

Statut Brčko distrikta BiH — čl. 1, 7–8, 12, 19, 32–40, 66–71 (OHR)

Cantons

Shared

Cantonal and municipal courts are part of the FBiH judiciary; cantonal judicial administration does not authorise governments to decide court cases.

Local

No role

A municipal court is not a body of the mayor or municipal council; judicial jurisdiction is regulated outside the local executive.

Sources for the responsibility matrix (45)

Unique sources across all displayed areas. Each responsibility and its source are also explained on the selected area's page.

Policy area × level. Select an area for explanations and sources. A dash means unresearched, not that the level has no role.
Policy area	State	FBiH	Cantons	RS	Brčko	Local
Defence and armed forces	Main responsibility	No role	No role	No role	No role	No role
Foreign policy	Main responsibility	Shared	Shared	Shared	Shared	Shared
Borders and customs	Main responsibility	No role	No role	No role	No role	No role
VAT, excise duties and the single account	Main responsibility	Implements	Implements	Implements	Implements	Implements
Direct taxes and local charges	No role	Main responsibility	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Police and security	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Courts and prosecutors	Shared	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	No role
Schools and universities	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Health care and health insurance	Shared	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Pensions and social protection	Shared	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Economy and business registration	Shared	Main responsibility	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Agriculture, water and forests	Shared	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Energy and electricity	Shared	Main responsibility	Shared	Main responsibility	Shared	Shared
Roads and transport	Shared	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Culture and media	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Elections	Main responsibility	Implements	Implements	Implements	Implements	Implements
Citizenship and identity documents	Main responsibility	Shared	Implements	Main responsibility	Implements	Implements
Environment and spatial planning	Shared	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility	Shared
Water, waste and local services	No role	Shared	Shared	Shared	Main responsibility	Main responsibility