European e-Justice Portal - Court procedures

Court procedures

Find information on the legal procedures in civil and criminal cases

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You have rights when involved in civil and criminal cases. Each case has to be brought before a competent court and adhere to procedures and time limits.

Civil cases
Judicial cooperation in civil matters exists between EU countries in order to improve interoperability between their judicial systems
Criminal cases
Judicial cooperation in criminal matters is facilitated between the legal practitioners of the EU member countries.
Judicial auctions
A judicial auction is a proceeding through which a public auction of the debtor's assets is arranged with the purpose of raising the sum of money needed to satisfy a creditor’s claim. The auction may be arranged by a judge, or his or her delegate, or a competent authority, or other public or private entities (authorized according to the legislation of individual countries.
Videoconferencing
Cross-border videoconferencing is a fast and efficient way for judicial authorities to communicate. It is used for the hearing of witnesses, parties, victims and experts in a safe setting. Videoconferencing has many benefits as it can reduce costs, travel and environmental impact, the time needed for court proceedings, as well as increase security.