Cyprus’ summer court recess is a “very good” system that serves several purposes, according to Nicosia Bar Association chairman Stefanos Skordis, who said there is no need to change the current arrangement.
The Supreme Court and district courts observe a summer recess from July 10 to September 9. While trials are generally not held during this period, judges can still hear urgent cases and deal with other judicial matters when required.
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Recess Allows Courts To Prepare For New Year
Skordis said the summer period should not be viewed simply as a holiday, as judges and lawyers continue working on paperwork, pending matters and preparations for the new judicial year.
He also noted that similar arrangements exist in other countries, with courts limiting hearings or introducing special procedures for urgent cases during the summer.
Procedural deadlines generally exclude the summer recess, apart from the final seven days of the period, unless a court decides otherwise.
Similar Systems Across Europe
Several European countries operate comparable systems. Greece has special summer court divisions from July 1 to September 15, while Spain generally treats August as a non-working month for judicial proceedings, with exceptions for urgent cases. Italy also limits proceedings during August, mainly continuing to hear labour disputes.
Belgian courts generally close from July 1 to August 31, while Ireland, which shares a common-law tradition with Cyprus, limits court sittings during judicial holidays but allows special hearings for urgent matters.
A similar approach is followed by the Court of Justice of the European Union, where proceedings are generally suspended during its judicial holiday from July 16 to August 31, unless urgent circumstances require otherwise.
