BREAKING: No Oral Hearings in Hungary

Pursuant to Government Decree No. 45/2020 (III.14), the government has ordered extraordinary court recesses. Measures are to be taken to prevent and respond to the mass epidemic that endangers the safety of life and property, and to protect the health and lives of Hungarian citizens.

Accordingly, Hungarian courts will not hold oral hearings, preparatory hearings, hearings or public hearings. This applies not only to civil matters, but also to other types of proceedings.

Unlike the “ordinary” summer court recess, however, deadlines are not expected to be suspended.

Immediate procedural steps that require personal attendance, such as appearances before the court or detention review hearings, will be conducted by remote hearing as far as possible. If this is not possible, a special meeting-room protocol will be established. The persons present must keep a distance of at least two metres from one another.
If an infected person is present in the courtroom, the court may interrupt the hearing, direct the person concerned to a separate room and immediately inform the competent authority. The details and contact information of the persons present will be recorded by the court and transmitted to the competent body.

Apart from parties summoned by a court in urgent proceedings, only judges or members of the judiciary performing official duties, and any persons carrying out court-related tasks, may enter court buildings.

Court offices will fulfil their information obligations by telecommunications or electronically, and, pursuant to the decision of the President of the National Office for the Judiciary, public access for parties is suspended at all domestic courts.

In the cases handled by us, we have informed the courts that we remain available by video conference. However, it is likely that all hearings in pending cases will be postponed automatically.

Further details will be announced shortly.