Abstract
This chapter covers the preparatory stage in civil litigation in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The main attention is devoted to the goals of preparatory stage and possible forms and stages of preparation of a civil case for the main hearing. The text also discusses judicial settlement efforts and court-connected mediation in the preparatory stage. The author concludes that there are differences in legal regulation of the preparatory stage in all three Baltic States, but still the challenges are quite similar. In some civil cases, there are too many preparatory hearings and the possibilities to take judicial settlement efforts are usually not completely exercised during the preparatory stage. Processes to modernise the preparatory stage in all Baltic States is still ongoing. A number of amendments are being done or under discussion for the codes of civil procedure in order to make this stage more flexible and clear.
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Notes
- 1.
Driukas and Valančius (2007), p. 69.
- 2.
Mikelėnas and Mikelėnienė (2014), p. 112.
- 3.
In Lithuania the Code of Civil Procedure was adopted on 28 February 2002 and came into force on January 2003; in Estonia the first Code of Civil Procedure was adopted 19 May 1993 and came into force on 15 September 1993, another new Code of Civil Procedure was adopted on 20 April 2005 and came into force on 1 January 2006; In Latvia the Code of Civil Procedure was adopted on 3 November 1998 and came into force on 1 March 1999.
- 4.
Laužikas et al. (2005), p. 73.
- 5.
Žeruolis et al. (1980), p. 128.
- 6.
CEPEJ Report on European judicial systems – Edition 2014 (2012 data): efficiency and quality of justice.
- 7.
Statistics according to official portals for statistics: http://www.stat.ee/; http://www.csb.gov.lv/; http://osp.stat.gov.lt/.
- 8.
Driukas and Valančius (2007), p. 193.
- 9.
Nekrošius (2004), p. 77.
- 10.
According to unofficial statistics from Lithuanian national courts administration, for instance in year 2013, in 80 proc. of labour cases 30 days term for preparatory stage is observed. Some interviewed judges and officials in Latvia told that 10 days term for preparatory stage in Latvia is not wise and usually infringed.
- 11.
Nekrošius and Vėbraitė (2011), p. 181.
- 12.
It is very difficult to find exact examples of such civil cases in the system. Only some judges from district courts say that they can remember several such civil cases in their courts. Usually such civil cases happened in smaller district courts.
- 13.
Statistics provided by Lithuanian National courts administration for the Commission to reform Lithuanian Code of Civil Procedure in 2014.
- 14.
For instance, Decisions by Lithuanian Supreme Court No. 3 K-3-563/2014, No. 3 K-3-348/2013.
- 15.
Kove (2013), p. 7.
- 16.
Nekrošius and Vėbraitė (2011), p. 180.
- 17.
More information on this programme can be found here: http://www.teismai.lt/en/national-courts-administration/projects/norway-grants/691.
- 18.
Simaitis (2004), p. 22.
- 19.
Vėbraitė (2013), p. 271.
- 20.
- 21.
- 22.
- 23.
Kaminskienė et al. (2013)), p. 248.
- 24.
Lithuania and Estonia have Laws on Mediation from year 2010. In Latvia Law on Mediation was finally adopted on 22nd of May 2014.
- 25.
- 26.
The list can be found here: http://www.teismai.lt/lt/visuomenei-ir-ziniasklaidai/teismine-mediacija/teismo-mediatoriu-sarasas/283.
- 27.
For example, some statistics can be found here: http://www.mediacija.lv/?Aktualit%C4%81tes&id=190.
- 28.
Nurmela and Poldvere (2014), p. 40.
- 29.
Laužikas et al. (2005), p. 71.
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Vėbraitė, V. (2016). Preparatory Stage in the Baltic States: Similarities and Differences. In: Ervo, L., Nylund, A. (eds) Current Trends in Preparatory Proceedings . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29325-7_6
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