Spanish
Santo Domingo.- The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) issued a resolution ordering the Public Defender's Office (ONDP) to offer legal representation to companies (legal entities) in criminal proceedings that require it, the Public Ministry reported this Sunday.
The agency said that this concludes a prolonged legal battle it had with the ONDP over the legal representation of companies.
With its resolution, the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, composed of judges Francisco Antonio Jerez Mena (president), Nancy I. Salcedo Fernández, Fran Euclides Soto Sánchez and Francisco Antonio Ortega Polanco, puts an end to the ONDP's resistance to address the legal claim of the Public Ministry.
In their assessments, the Supreme Court judges consider articles 393, 399 and 425 of the Criminal Procedure Code, stating that judicial decisions are only appealable by the means and in the cases expressly established.
According to a note, the Public Ministry stated that the battle in the courts dates back to 2021, when the director of the ONDP, Rodolfo Santos, instructed prohibiting "categorically" the coordinators and public defenders from giving qualities in the name and representation of organizations (companies, businesses, public or private institutions, etc...)".
The Public Defender is claimed by those accused who allege they do not have the resources to pay for their defense attorneys.
