National specialised courts

Cyprus

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Cyprus

The following specialised courts operate in the Republic of Cyprus:

Specialised courts

  • Administrative Court (Διοικητικό Δικαστήριο)

The Administrative Court has exclusive jurisdiction to hear at first instance appeals under Article 146 of the Constitution regarding any decision, act or omission of persons or bodies exercising administrative authority. The Administrative Court may annul any enforceable administrative act served in respect of a violation or misuse of powers or which is contrary to law or the Constitution. Where the appeal relates to a tax matter or international protection proceedings, the Court is able to amend the relevant decision or act in whole or in part.

  • Family Court (Οικογενειακό Δικαστήριο)

The Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction to hear petitions for divorce, custody of children, maintenance and property disputes between spouses who are members of the Greek Orthodox Church.

If the parties belong to one of the other religious groups in Cyprus, i.e. Armenians, Maronites or Roman Catholics, jurisdiction for the above matters lies with the Family Court for Religious Groups.

There are three Family Courts, one for Nicosia and Kyrenia, one for Limassol and Paphos and one for Larnaca and Famagusta. There is also one Family Court for Religious Groups for the whole of Cyprus, based in Nicosia.

Cases before the Family Court are heard by a single judge, except divorce petitions, which are heard by a panel of three judges.

  • Industrial Dispute Tribunal (Δικαστήριο Εργατικών Διαφορών)

The Industrial Dispute Tribunal has exclusive jurisdiction to hear all industrial disputes arising from the termination of employment, such as payment of compensation for unfair dismissal (except where the amount claimed exceeds the equivalent of two years’ salary, in which case jurisdiction lies with the District Court), payment in lieu of notice, redundancy payments and claims arising out of the contract of employment, such as accrued wages, annual holiday, 13th month pay or bonuses. It also has jurisdiction to hear any civil claim based on the Motherhood Protection Act (Ο περί Προστασίας της Μητρότητας Νόμος), cases of unequal treatment and sexual harassment in the workplace and disputes between Provident Funds (Ταμεία Πρόνοιας) and their members.

The Industrial Dispute Tribunal is composed of a President or a Judge, who is a member of the Judicial Service of the Republic (Δικαστική Υπηρεσία της Δημοκρατίας), and two lay members appointed on the recommendation of employer and employee representatives. The lay members have a purely consultative role.

There are currently three Industrial Dispute Tribunals in the Republic, based in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca.

  • Rent Control Tribunal (Δικαστήριο Ελέγχου Ενοικιάσεων)

The Rent Control Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear matters regarding recovery of possession of rented property, the setting of fair rents and any other incidental or additional matters.

Each Rent Control Tribunal is composed of a President, who is a member of the judiciary, and two other members nominated by tenant and landlord representatives. These members have a purely consultative role. The Tribunal has two chambers.

  • Administrative Court of International Protection (Διοικητικό Δικαστήριο Διεθνούς Προστασίας)

The Administrative Court of International Protection has exclusive jurisdiction to rule at first instance on refugee asylum requests in accordance with the Law on Refugees adopted under Article 146 of the Constitution or against a failure to act under said Law.

  • Military Court (Στρατιωτικό Δικαστήριο)

The Military Court has jurisdiction to try offences committed by military personnel in contravention of the Military Criminal Code (Στρατιωτικός Ποινικός Κώδικας), the National Guard Act (Ο περί Εθνικής Φρουράς Νόμος), the Criminal Code (Ποινικός Κώδικας) or any other law, irrespective of the sentence handed down. By way of exception, private individuals can also be brought before the Military Court where this is provided for under the Military Criminal Code or any other law.

If the accused has the rank of colonel or above, the Military Court is constituted in the same way as the Assize Court.

The President of the Court is a judge belonging to the Judicial Service of the Republic. There are two associate judges who are military and appointed by the Supreme Judicial Council.

Legal databases

There is still no official legal database. There are a number of private legal databases, some of which provide subscriber services and some of which provide free access.

They contain information on court judgments and primary legislation.

Last update: 10/07/2023

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