GREECE Law and Practice Contributed by: John Kyriakides, Vicky Kriketou, Angeliki Stryftou and Konstantinos Lygkonis, Kyriakides Georgopoulos Law Firm
to provide a guarantee or deposit to cover potential damages, at the court’s discretion. 6.5 Respondent’s Worldwide Assets and Injunctive Relief Under Greek law, injunctive or interim measures gen- erally apply only to assets located in Greece, as there is no provision for a worldwide freezing order. A lim- ited exception exists under EU Regulation 655/2014, which allows a European Account Preservation Order (EAPO) to temporarily freeze bank accounts in other EU Member States in cross-border civil or commercial disputes. The EAPO is issued by a Greek court and is directly enforceable abroad, providing a mechanism to affect non-domestic assets. 6.6 Third Parties and Injunctive Relief In some situations, injunctions can be directed at third parties who possess assets or have control over actions relevant to the dispute, in order to prevent the loss of assets, concealment of evidence, or avoidance of the court’s order. The party requesting the injunc- tion must show that involving the third party is essen- tial for the effectiveness of the relief. This may occur, for example, when a financial institution is asked to freeze a debtor’s funds in its custody or when garnish- ment is sought against a third party. 6.7 Consequences of a Respondent’s Non- Compliance Failure to comply with an injunction in Greece may lead to contempt of court, including fines, asset sei- zure, or, in severe cases, imprisonment. The court can also order enforcement measures, such as direct execution on property or accounts, to secure compli- ance. Non-compliance may strengthen the applicant’s claim for damages resulting from the breach. In family law disputes, violating an interim order can result in up to one year of imprisonment or a monetary penalty.
these written submissions, with hearings scheduled only after all pleadings are filed and oral advocacy or witness examination generally limited and only carried out under certain circumstances. Special proceedings, which cover matters such as matrimonial disputes, lease-related property claims, labour disputes, and certain payment orders, involve oral hearings where parties present arguments, submit evidence, and examine witnesses or experts. While the process remains largely written, oral proceedings are essential in these contexts to resolve contested facts; judgments may be delivered immediately or reserved, depending on the complexity of the case. 7.2 Case Management Hearings In Greece, civil proceedings are primarily written, with parties submitting complaints, defences, and evi- dence in advance. Short hearings may take place for interim measures, where the court considers urgent requests and issues injunction orders. Greece does not have formal case management hearings; the court sets deadlines for pleadings and evidence, but does not hold separate pre-trial management sessions. Oral proceedings are reserved for the main hearing, where evidence is examined, arguments are presented, and the judgment is delivered. 7.3 Jury Trials in Civil Cases Jury trials are not available in Greek civil courts. All civil disputes are decided by professional judges, either singly or in multi-member panels, depending on the court and the value or complexity of the case. 7.4 Rules That Govern Admission of Evidence In Greek civil proceedings, evidence is primarily sub- mitted in writing, including affidavits, as oral examina- tions are generally limited. Each party bears the bur- den of proving facts supporting its claims or defences, and only material, relevant, and lawfully obtained evidence is admissible. Documentary evidence must meet formal requirements, while public documents are presumed genuine and private documents must bear an uncontested signature. The court freely assesses all evidence, including affidavits, expert reports, admissions, and property inspections, and may consider facts established
7. Trials and Hearings 7.1 Trial Proceedings
In Greece, civil disputes are primarily conducted in writing, with parties submitting complaints, defences, evidence, and other pleadings in advance. Ordinary proceedings, including a fast-track system, rely on
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