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The action by stages was introduced into the Croatian civil procedure law by the 2003 Law on Amendments to the Civil Procedure Act, with the aim of increasing the general quality and ef)ficiency in providing legal protection and improving the general functioning of civil procedure. Courts do not keep records of the number of received actions by stages lawsuits but available case law indicates that difficulties do exist and thus the need for a serious approach to this issue. The aim of this paper is to point out the importance of understanding the legal institute of action by stages with an emphasis on its practical application. Participants in court proceedings who apply to the court by filing an action by stages must be aware of its legal effects at certain stages of civil proceedings. On the other hand, the court must also ensure the lawful application of this institute so as not to commit procedural violations that would jeopardize the litigants’ legal position. In this regard, the analysis of this legal institute is necessary in order to remove practical doubts and ensure its legal function. Research results of this paper have confirmed that practical doubts should not be neglected and that there is room to consider a more efficient solution than the one in existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the views of domestic civil law theory and case law on inherently dangerous objects and activities, and, in particular, the interpretations of maritime law theory and case law on whether a ship is an inherently dangerous object presupposing the application of a strict liability regime. The central part of the paper is devoted to a critical analysis of the courts’ interpretation of the question of whether a berthed boat is an inherently dangerous object and whether the activity of a marina operator is an inherently dangerous one. Furthermore, the criteria relevant for assessing the legal issues in question are investigated in detail. Finally, determining the relevant criteria leads to guidelines that can be used for theoretical generalisation which can be applied by the courts when deciding in cases involving the legal question of whether a berthed vessel is an inherently dangerous object and the business of a marina operator an inherently dangerous activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the methods used in determining the place of origin and cause of fire, such as inspection (review of the scene), reconstruction and expertise of the material. A real case of fire is presented, as recorded by an expert with suitable technical training, describing the use of the above methods in determining the cause of fire in a residential building, i.e. family house. In litigation to compensate the damage caused by the fire, the expert was tasked to determine the cause of the fire on the basis of the court documents. The expert was also provided with eyewitness material that was excluded from the court file. Based on the information in the file and the opinion on the excluded material, the expert submitted his findings and opinion in writing, which he defended in the court hearing. In order to supply new evidence, it was suggested that an inspection of the site and reconstruction be carried out. The reconstruction of the event showed that the fire could have occurred as a result of a fault in the electrical wiring, rather than due to a faulty replacement of the old electric meter with a new one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]