Position of the Prosecutor as Dominus Litis in the Settlement of Customary Criminal Cases Based on Justice

Satria Faza Andromeda

Abstract


Indonesia, as a state based on the rule of law, recognizes the existence of national criminal law as an instrument of law enforcement. In its development, the state also recognizes living law within society, including customary criminal law. This recognition is reflected in Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code and Government Regulation Number 55 of 2025 concerning Procedures and Criteria for Determining Living Law in Society. In this context, the Prosecutor, as dominus litis, has a very strategic position in determining whether the resolution of customary criminal cases can be integrated into the national criminal justice system. The role of the Prosecutor is crucial because the resolution of customary criminal cases concerns not only legal certainty but also the realization of substantive justice, the restoration of social relations, and the protection of human rights in customary communities. Based on this background, this study formulates several problems, namely: what is the position of the Prosecutor as dominus litis in the current resolution of customary criminal cases, what are the weaknesses of the Prosecutor's position as dominus litis in the resolution of customary criminal cases, and what is the concept of the Prosecutor's position as dominus litis in the justice-based resolution of customary criminal cases. This study uses a normative juridical approach method with analytical descriptive research specifications. The data used are secondary data obtained through literature studies and analyzed qualitatively using the theory of authority, Lawrence Meir Friedman's legal system theory, and the theory of justice. The results of the study indicate that: (1) the position of the Prosecutor as dominus litis in the resolution of customary criminal cases remains attached through the authority to conduct research, control, and assessment of the results of customary deliberations before the case is forwarded to the court as regulated in Article 19 of Government Regulation Number 55 of 2025; (2) the weakness of the Prosecutor's position lies in the absence of clear national parameters regarding the limits, mechanisms, and measures of justice in the resolution of customary criminal acts so that it has the potential to cause differences in interpretation and application of the law; and (3) the position of the Prosecutor based on justice places the Prosecutor as the party that assesses the procedural validity, the substance of customary decisions, as well as aspects of recovery and peace so that the resolution of customary criminal acts remains in line with the principles of due process of law, human rights, and the values of justice in the national legal system.


Keywords


Crime; Dominus; Justice; Living; Prosecutor.

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30659/rlj.5.2.%25p

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