Law of Bulgaria

Module 4

Courts, prosecution and the legal professions: the court hierarchy, the Supreme Court of Cassation, administrative justice, the prosecution service, judicial governance and the legal professions

Bulgaria’s judiciary is independent (Article 117) and includes courts, the Prosecutor’s Office and investigating bodies, which is a distinctive feature: prosecutors are part of the judiciary. Ordinary courts have three levels (district, regional and appellate), with the Supreme Court of Cassation at the top for civil and criminal law and a separate system of administrative courts, topped by the Supreme Administrative Court. The Supreme Judicial Council manages appointments and discipline; constitutional amendments of 2023 tried to reform it, but the Constitutional Court struck down most of them in 2024, and further legislative changes followed in 2026, so current text must be checked. The legal professions include advocates, notaries and enforcement agents. A foreign lawyer cannot practise Bulgarian law without the right qualification.

General education on the law of Bulgaria, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts and the authority concerned. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult a Bulgarian lawyer for any real matter.

This course was written on 6 November 2026. To the best of our knowledge, it describes the law of Bulgaria as it stood on that date. Laws change, and we may have missed or misunderstood something. If you notice a change, or have other information, please do not hesitate to contact us: we will review it and update the course. We do not claim to be the final source of the law.