[6] All of these courts are responsible along with their military counterparts for issuing European arrest warrants, either on own initiative or on a request of a subordinate court), as well as for maintaining the registry of press outlets [pl], which is obligatory for all Polish printed or electronic periodical media outlets other than those licensed or listed under the broadcasting act by the National Broadcasting Council, in order for them to legally publish.
They are also responsible for maintaining lists of available expert witnesses in various fields, as well as of physicians enrolled as court physicians, holding exclusive specific authorization to issue recognized sick-leave certificates excusing for absence in court proceedings, mandatory for the trial participants (including the defendant or the parties to a civil litigation, their legal representation, as well as the subpoenaed witnesses), an institution introduced in order to limit the previously widespread abuse aimed at obstructing justice.
Five courts, in Gdańsk, Katowice, Lublin, Poznań and Warsaw, have special intellectual property divisions,[7] with a catalogue of selected IP lawsuits (including all related to patented inventions, protected integrated circuits or utility models, as well as plant varieties protected by plant breeders' rights) heard exclusively by the Warsaw court.
It is also the only district court adjudicating on indictments related to civil aviation accidents and serious incidents, competition law complaints[9] or public procurement law complaints, and is the only court responsible for maintaining the registers of political parties,[10] investment funds and pension funds.
[11] All lawsuits based on the Polish maritime code are heard in first instance exclusively by the Gdańsk district court.