Maintenance obligations

Article 71 1. (a) - Courts for application for a declaration of enforceability and courts for appeal against decisions on such applications

Applications for a declaration of enforceability in accordance with Article 27(1) of the Regulation and appeals against decisions on such applications in accordance with Article 32(2) of the Regulation are examined by the Lietuvos apeliacinis teismas [Lithuanian Court of Appeal].

The Court of Appeal of Lithuania

Gedimino pr. 40/1

LT-01503 Vilnius
Tel. (8 5) 266 3479

Fax: (8 5) 266 3060
e-mail :apeliacinis@apeliacinis.lt

Article 71 1. (b) - Redress procedure

A ruling adopted by the Court of Appeal of Lithuania after hearing an appeal against a decision on an application for a declaration of enforceability may be appealed in cassation before the Supreme Court of Lithuania. Such appeals are heard in accordance with the Rules governing proceedings in the court of cassation, as laid down by the Lithuanian Code of Civil Procedure, unless otherwise provided for in the Regulation or in the Lithuanian Law implementing European Union and international legislation governing civil proceedings. When an appeal in cassation has been accepted, it is entered, as a matter of priority, in the list of cases to be heard in cassation by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court sets a deadline of no more than 14 days for submitting responses to the appeal. In its notification of registration of the appeal in the list of cases to be heard in cassation by the Supreme Court (Article 350(7) of the Code of Civil Procedure), the Supreme Court notifies the parties and other persons involved in the case of the deadline set for responding to the appeal.

The parties must, and other persons involved in the case may, submit a written response to the appeal by the deadline set by the Supreme Court. That deadline is calculated from the date on which the appeal was entered in the list of cases to be heard in cassation by the Supreme Court.

Article 71 1. (c) - Review procedure

Maintenance decisions are reviewed, in accordance with Article 19 of the Regulation, by the court that adopted them. Once it has accepted an application for a review of a decision on maintenance obligations, the court shall forward a copy of that application and its annexes to the claimant and inform him or her that he or she must submit a written response to the application within 14 days of the date on which the application was sent. An application for a review of a decision on maintenance obligations is examined by the court by written procedure. If it deems it to be necessary, the Court may convene oral proceedings to hear the application for a review of a maintenance decision. The Court must examine an application for a review of a decision on maintenance obligations no later than 14 days after the expiry of the deadline for submission of responses and must adopt a ruling on one of the courses of action referred to in Article 19(3) of the Regulation.

Article 71 1. (d) - Central Authorities

Valstybės garantuojamos teisinės pagalbos tarnyba [State-guaranteed Legal Aid Service]

Odminių g. 3

LT-01122 Vilnius

Lithuania

Telephone No: +370 700 00211, +370 700 00190

Fax No: +370 700 35004

E-mail: teisinepagalba@vgtp.lt

Website: http://www.vgtpt.lrv.lt

For applications relating to maintenance obligations towards persons under the age of 21 arising from a parent-child relationship, the functions of central authority are performed by the Mažeikiai branch of the State Social Insurance Fund Board.

Vasario 16-osios g. 4

LT-89225 Mažeikiai

Lithuania

Telephone number: +370 443 26659

Fax number: +370 443 27341

E-mail: mazeikiai@sodra.lt

Article 71 1. (e) – Public bodies

Where applications relate to maintenance obligations arising from a parent-child relationship towards persons under the age of 21, the Children’s Maintenance Fund Administration under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour performs the functions of the Central Authority under Article 51 of the Regulation.

Contact details of the Children’s Maintenance Fund Administration under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour:

Rinktinės g. 48A

LT-09318 Vilnius
Telephone number: (8 5) 272 8081

Fax number: (8 5) 265 3984
E-mail: info@vif.lt

Where circumstances so require, state-guaranteed legal aid in respect of the applications listed in Article 56 of the Regulation is provided in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Law on State-Guaranteed Legal Aid, unless otherwise provided for in the Lithuanian Law implementing European Union and international legislation governing civil proceedings, or in the Regulation. Should it become apparent during examination of applications listed in Article 56 of the Regulation that an applicant needs State-guaranteed legal aid, the Vilnius State-Guaranteed Legal Aid Service and the Children’s Maintenance Fund Administration under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour transmit the application for State-guaranteed legal aid directly to the competent authorities responsible for organising State-guaranteed legal aid, namely the Lithuanian State-guaranteed legal aid services.

Names and contact details of the Lithuanian State-guaranteed legal aid services

State-guaranteed Legal Aid Service	Address	Phone	Fax	Email
Vilnius State-guaranteed Legal Aid Service	Odminių g. 3, LT 01122 Vilnius	852647480	852647481	vilniausvgtpt@infolex.lt
Kaunas State-guaranteed Legal Aid Service	Kęstučio g. 21, LT 44320 Kaunas	837408601, 837428404	837428403, 837428405	kaunovgtpt@infolex.ltt
Klaipėda State-guaranteed Legal Aid Service	Herkaus Manto g. 37, LT-92236 Klaipėda	846256176	846256176	kl.vgtpt@infolex.lt
Šiauliai State-guaranteed Legal Aid Service	Dvaro g. 123A, LT 76208, Šiauliai	841520040	841520040	svgtpt@svgtpt.lt
Panevėžys State-guaranteed Legal Aid Service	Klaipėdos g. 72, LT 35193, Panevėžys	845570152	845436201	paneveziovgtpt@infolex.lt

Article 71 1. (f) – Competent authorities for enforcement

Applications for refusal to enforce the maintenance decision of the court of origin, either in whole or in part, as referred to in Article 21(2) of the Regulation, shall be heard by the Court of Appeal of Lithuania.

The Court of Appeal of Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 40/1
LT-01503 Vilnius
Telephone number: (8 5) 266 3479
Fax number: (8 5) 266 3060
E-mail: apeliacinis@apeliacinis.lt

Applications to suspend the enforcement of the maintenance decision of the court of origin, either in whole or in part, as referred to in Article 21(3) of the Regulation, are heard by the district court of the place where enforcement is sought.

Article 71 1. (g) - Accepted languages for translations of documents

Lithuanian is the only language accepted for translation of the documents referred to in Article 20 of the Regulation, but both Lithuanian and English are accepted for translation of the documents referred to in Articles 28 and 40.

Article 71 1. (h) - Languages accepted by Central Authorities for communication with other Central Authorities

The languages accepted for communication between the Lithuanian Central Authority and other Central Authorities, as referred to in Article 59 of the Regulation, are Lithuanian and English.