Nobody likes to be involved in legal disputes, especially not in another country. If this happens, our attorneys assert your claims or defend you against third-party claims.
The civil process before the Greek courts is shaped by the parties’ conduct of the process. It is not the court that orders the action to be served, but the plaintiff. The limitation period is only interrupted when the complaint is served, not when it is filed. There is no statement of responce following, to which the claimant responds with his reply. Rather, both parties submit briefs and evidence at the same time. Until then, the matter has not been assigned to a judge.
Already from this brief description it becomes clear that court proceedings in Greece have clear procedural differences from procedural rules of the home countries of our clients. In order to successfully contest the trial before the Greek court, the process tactics must be adapted to the local rules.
Our team includes lawyers who specialize in litigation in commercial and contract law disputes in Greece. For international clients one of our UK educated lawyers is always involved in the legal proceedings. In this way, we guarantee the best possible representation before the Greek courts.
The Greek Code of Civil Procedure for ordinary proceedings, as amended on 2015, does not provide for an oral hearing. The witness evidence is provided by filing a sworn testament. Witnesses will only be heard if the judge decides to do so.
The court fees are only to be paid with the submission of the evidence, not on the date the claim is filed. They amount to one percent of the amount in dispute.
A first conciliation hearing is not provided for. In the past, regulations had been introduced that caused the parties to hold a first conciliation appointment in advance of the hearing. However, these have not prevailed and have been abolished.
Since the end of 2019, mediation has been mandatory in the civil process. It is now possible to conduct mediation proceedings for civil and commercial disputes. The lawyer of the plaintiff must inform his client of this, relevant proof is a precondition for the admissibility of the lawsuit. If the value in dispute exceeds € 30,000, a record of the mandatory first mediation appointment must be submitted along with other evidence.
The extremely long duration of the proceedings (trial dates set after 3 years, adjournments and delays in relation to the pronouncement of judgment) in the midst of the economic crisis led to a radical reform of the Code of Civil Procedure. The new Greek Code of Civil Procedure (in force since 2016) no longer provides for an oral hearing. Briefs and evidence are to be submitted on fixed deadlines. The Judge is appointed after the file is closed. There is no possibility to postpone the hearing. Events that lead to a violent cessation of proceedings are heard.
