Cyprus court summer recess serves judicial needs, Nicosia bar chairman says

Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus’ court summer recess is a “very good” system that serves several purposes, Nicosia bar association chairman Stefanos Skordis said on Thursday. He said similar arrangements operate in courts in other countries.

Summer recess arrangements

The Supreme Court and district courts in Cyprus observe a summer recess from July 10 to September 9. Cases and other judicial proceedings may still be heard during this period if instructed by the judge responsible.

Skordis said the period should not be regarded as holidays, as judges continue to deal with urgent matters while trials are generally not held.

Preparation and procedural deadlines

He said the recess gives judges and lawyers time to address paperwork and other pending matters, as well as prepare for the new judicial year. For these reasons, he said there was no need to change the current system.

With the exception of the final seven days of the summer holiday, the recess is not counted when calculating procedural deadlines unless a court orders otherwise.

Comparable systems abroad

Other European countries have similar arrangements, ranging from special summer court sittings to the postponement of most proceedings.

In Greece, summer court divisions operate from July 1 to September 15 to meet the needs of courts and prosecutors, with only certain categories of cases heard during that period.

In Spain, August is generally considered a non-working month for judicial proceedings, except for urgent cases.