Law of Greece

Module 3

Courts and the legal professions: the three court systems, Areios Pagos, the Council of State, the Court of Audit, judges, lawyers, notaries and bailiffs

The Greek judiciary is independent, and its judges have security of tenure. It is organised in three separate systems, each with its own supreme court: the ordinary courts for civil and criminal cases, topped by the Supreme Court (Areios Pagos); the administrative courts, topped by the Council of State (Symvoulio tis Epikrateias), which annuls unlawful administrative acts; and the Court of Audit, which supervises public spending and decides certain public-sector disputes. The legal professions include lawyers, notaries, whose deeds are essential for property, and court bailiffs. A foreign lawyer cannot practise Greek law without the right qualification. Understanding which court system hears a problem is the first step in Greek law.

General education on the law of Greece, 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 Greek lawyer for any real matter.

This course was written on 6 November 2026. To the best of our knowledge, it describes the law of Greece 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.