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Article 154(1) Decisions in criminal proceedings are issued in the form of judgements, rulings andorders.(2) Judgements may only be issued by courts, while rulings and orders may also beissued by other authorities taking part in the criminal proceedings .Article 155(1) Court chambers shall render decisions after oral deliberation and voting. A decisionis deemed rendered when a majority of the chamber’s members voted for it.(2) The president of the chamber shall chair the deliberation and voting, ensure that allquestions are examined comprehensively and thoroughly, and shall be the last to vote.(3) Where in respect of certain issues put to a vote the votes are divided so that noopinion has a majority, the issues shall be divided and the voting shall continue until amajority is achieved. If no majority can be achieved in this way, a decision shall berendered so that the votes most unfavourable for the accused person shall be added tothose votes which are less unfavourable, until the necessary majority is achieved.(4) Members of chambers may not abstain from voting on issues presented by thepresident of the chamber, but a chamber member who voted for an acquittal or forrepealing a judgement and was left in a minority is not required to vote on the penalty. Ifhe does not vote, it shall be deemed that he concurs with the vote most favourable forthe defendant.Article 156(1) in the deliberation, the first vote shall concern the issue of the court’s jurisdiction,then whether the proceedings need to be amended, and other preliminary issues. Afterdecisions are taken on the preliminary issues, the court shall deliberate the main matter.(2) In deliberating on the main matter, it shall first be voted on whether the defendantcommitted the criminal offence, and the following votes shall concern the penalty, othercriminal sanctions, the costs of the criminal proceedings, indemnification claims andother issues on which decisions are required.(3) Where the same person is charged with several criminal offences, votes shall betaken on penalties for each of the offences, and then on an aggregate penalty for all theoffences.Article 157(1) Deliberation and voting takes place in closed session.(2) Only the chamber’s members a record-keeper may be present in the room where thedeliberation and voting are taking place.