Review of Surabaya High Court Decision in a Forestry Case Related to Evidence

Abstract

This study aims to examine final and binding court decisions (inkracht van gewijsde) in forestry crime cases, specifically those related to evidence in the form of transportation equipment belonging to third parties. The method used is normative legal research with a statutory and conceptual approach and an analysis of primary and secondary legal materials and legal reasoning theories based on the facts revealed in court. Number 672/PID.SUS-LH/2023/PT SBY in deciding the case, the panel of judges based on Article 78 paragraph (1) of Law Number 41 of 1999 concerning Forestry and the elucidation of Article 16 of Law Number 18 of 2013 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of Forest Destruction. However, the panel ignored that the confiscated evidence belonged to a third party, not proven to be involved in the crime, thus creating injustice even though the decision is legally valid. Therefore, the statutory provisions regarding the confiscation of evidence in forestry cases need to be evaluated and reviewed in terms of legal substance and structure to create more pro-community justice. This research is expected to provide legal insights for law enforcement agencies, enabling them to be more proportional in assessing and deciding cases involving the rights of innocent third parties.