Stages of hearing a civil case in court

A civil case begins when a written statement of claim is filed with the court; the judge accepts it, prepares the case and sets the hearing date. Several stages follow in order at the hearing: opening and announcing the composition of the court, explaining rights to the participants, examining the case on the merits (explanations of the parties, witness testimony, an expert’s opinion, documents), debate and the parties’ last word, then withdrawal to decide and announcement of the judgment. Participants: the judge, the court clerk, the plaintiff, the defendant, their representatives, where needed a prosecutor, expert, interpreter and witnesses; a witness under 16 is accompanied by a teacher or a parent while questioned. Until the judgment comes into legal force, a dissatisfied party may lodge an appeal with a higher court; a judgment already in force may be reviewed for lawfulness by cassation. The deadlines for complaints are set in the current Civil Procedure Code (adopted in 2018) and they are short: if a deadline is missed, the chance to complain may be lost. Once the judgment is in force, it must be carried out.