BRATISLAVA, January 7, (WEBNOVINY) – Civil trials should be faster as of the beginning of this year when the amendment to the Civic Procedure Code has come into effect introducing some new, shorter deadlines. Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska explained that new deadlines are to be valid for some courts’ administrative or procedural acts in order to not protract court procedures. It happened often that a lawsuit was filed while the defendant learned about it just after a year or two, State Secretary of the Justice Ministry Maria Kolikova explained. According to new rules the defendant in the legal dispute should learn this information within sixty days in order to be able to collect the necessary evidence and written documents, stressed Kolikova.
The new civil procedure rules also bring a change regarding proving sick absence in civil cases and the possibility to be excused from attending the court. Zitnanska said they want to prevent obstructions by both sides of a lawsuit and advocates in civil cases. If somebody wants to be excused s/he has to not only hand in a doctor’s sick note but also his/her statement confirming that the illness is so serious that it prevents participation in court proceedings.
Moreover, Zitnanska considers the part pertaining to the performance of court decisions on underage children of divorced parents very important. So far the state was toothless in the situation when one of the parents ignored the court’s decision governing child’ meetings with the other parent and prevented such meetings. Now the court’s powers have been significantly enhanced in this regard. Moreover, the amended civil procedure rules also hikes the fine for not meeting the court’s decision or ignoring its challenge in cases involving an underage child from the so far 60 euros to 300 euros. It will be possible as well to levy the fine several times in such cases or stop parental contributions.
SITA