HOW TO SERVE LEGAL PAPERS IN SLOVAKIA

This article will guidance on How To Serve legal papers in Slovakia. The multi-party system in place in Slovakia makes it a parliamentary democratic republic.  Despite having only extremely limited authority, the president of Slovakia (now Zuzana aputová, Slovakia’s first female president) is the country’s official head of state and the executive branch. For a five-year term, the president is chosen by direct public vote. The prime minister (now Eduard Heger) has the bulk of executive authority since he or she is the leader of the winning party and must create a majority coalition in parliament. The president appoints the prime minister. Following the prime minister’s proposal, presidents select the rest of the cabinet. Click here for How the Hague Convention Simplifies International Process Service.

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There are a hundred and fifty seats in the National Council of Slovak Republic (Národná rada Slovenskej republiky), the country’s highest legislative body. Proportional representation is used to elect delegates for a four-year term. Click Here for Frequently Asked Questions About Process Servers!

BACKGROUND

The Constitutional Court of Slovakia (stavn sd) is Slovakia’s highest court for constitutional disputes. The president appoints the court’s thirteen members from a list of nominees provided by the parliament.

The Slovak Republic’s constitution was passed on September 1, 1992, and into effect on January 1, 1993. Amendments were made in September 1998 and February 2001 in order to comply with EU entrance standards. Austro-Hungarian norms underpin civil law in the country. To comply with OSCE commitments and eliminate Marxist–Leninist legal theory, the legal code was updated to reflect these changes. Slovakia has reservations about accepting the mandatory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice. Click here for information on How Rush Process Service Can Expedite Your Case.

Judicial Slovakia Process Service precedent has established that the term “service of papers” refers to the formal act of notifying an interested party or another third party about the status of an ongoing legal Slovakia Process Service action. A court can only act and make decisions if the parties have been provided with all Slovakia Process Service documents whose receipt and knowledge is a prerequisite for the next step in the proceedings, the application of a remedy, procedural defenses or protection, and other Slovakia Process Service actions that are required to be done in order to keep them fully and effectively informed about the progress of the proceedings. When finalizing the lawsuit and enforcing the court’s verdict, serving court rulings on merits is critical. Click here for information on How Service of Process Ensures A Solid Foundation.

Specific Slovakia Process Service regulations in the Contentious Civil Procedure Code are an effort by the legislators to maintain the idea of equality of arms and the adversarial system in court proceedings. ” Everyone involved in a judicial action must be treated equally, and all parties must be kept informed of the progress of the case at the same time. The parties must be given a chance to participate in the Slovakia Process Service proceedings and familiarise themselves with the other party’s statements. Evidence, any court actions relevant to the proceedings, and the substance of the matter before the case may advance. Click here for information on How Process Servers Protect Your Rights: Myths Debunked

Slovakia Process Service to an electronic mailbox, an electronic Slovakia Process Service address (at the party’s request), personal delivery by a legitimate server (a postal service company, process server), or Slovakia Process Service in the form of public notice or special Slovakia Process Service by other legitimate servers (the relevant servers) are all examples of formal Slovakia Process Service under the Contentious Civil Procedure Code (CCPC). Only personal Slovakia Process Service of the judicial documentation is considered formal or official service in the broader sense.

For Slovakia Process Service papers that do not need to be served personally, the court follows the standard process for ordinary service. The Contentious Civil Procedure Code specifies which papers need to be served personally by the parties. When the Slovakia Process Service circumstances of a particular situation necessitate it, personal service is also employed in certain scenarios (courts normally use personal service, e.g., for a summons to a hearing for procedural certainty). That the legislature has designated this privileged service for certain documents shows that these papers are important and that the party has to be acquainted with their content so that the right to a fair trial may be exercised.

When required, the court has the authority to use lawful servers to deliver documents as part of the court’s legal procedure Courts in the Slovak Republic usually attempt to find the addressee’s current location by using the Register of Slovak Residents (Register obyvateov Slovenskej Republiky), which is linked electronically to the courts’ information systems. The location of a person’s permanent or temporary abode may be quickly determined by the court using this record (if such an address exists). Additionally, the Social Insurance Agency (Sociálna poisováa) is currently cooperating with Slovak courts via the court register, where a court may request certain information recorded by the agency. 

Slovak courts may access the Slovak Republic’s Register of Inhabitants directly via the court register. Those involved in legal Slovakia Process Service actions may pay a five-euro administrative charge to get information from the Slovak Republic’s Register of Inhabitants (such as confirmation or written notice of a person’s location).

A Slovakia Process Service request submitted under Council Regulation (EC) No. 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001, on cooperation between courts of Member States in the collecting of evidence in civil or commercial actions intended at identifying a person’s present address is dealt with by the authorities of this Member State. A person’s present address may be determined and provided for by the Slovak courts based on information accessible to the Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic. Following the processes outlined, they accomplish this goal.

The law requires that Slovakia Process Service be provided by one of the legitimate servers listed. Electronic mailboxes cannot be used here (the Prison and Court Guard Service, a facility for institutional or protective care, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and the Ministry of Defense) (to notify an indefinite group of persons of a decision). Also, as previously mentioned, a court may, for practical reasons, choose to have a bailiff or a competent police agency serve the process on behalf of the court.

The majority of Slovakia Process Service papers are now served via mail, either in the form of registered letters or official letters (personal service). A large portion of Slovakia Process Service has been delivered to electronic mailboxes after July 1, 2017 (when all electronic mailboxes must be activated in accordance with the e-Government Act), while natural person service will only be delivered to electronic mailboxes at their request. 

Ordinary and personal services are performed by the court at the address indicated by the addressee when papers are sent to that address (in the absence of an electronic mailbox service). The court then serves the papers if service is unsuccessful.

As a result of the adoption of parties’ strict objective accountability for the data entered in public registries, substitution service in this sense has effectively been abolished by the new Contentious Civil Procedure Code.

The Slovak authorities accept written requests for the service of documents in paper form. The Slovak Republic will accept Czech and English, as well as Slovak, for the completion of forms. Slovak law does not require certain Slovakia Process Service documents to be served within a particular period. Documents are served principally by the court that has received the r Slovakia Process Service request. However, under certain Slovakia Process Service circumstances, a court may entrust a judicial officer with serving documents. If the officer entrusted by the court is a bailiff (súdny exekútor), Slovakia Process Service is subject to a fixed fee of EUR 6.64 for each document served. The Slovak Republic opposes the service of court documents by diplomatic or consular agents unless the documents are to be served on nationals of the Member State in which the documents originate.

Slovak law does not allow court documents to be served directly from abroad on persons interested in a judicial proceeding through judicial officers, officials, or other competent persons in the Slovak Republic.

Slovakia process servers serve civil and commercial matters pursuant to the Hague Service Convention, a multilateral treaty adopted in Hague, Netherlands, on November 15, 1965, by member states of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.  It came into existence to give litigants a reliable and efficient means of serving the Slovakia Process Service documents on parties living, operating, or based in another country. The Slovakia Process Service provisions of the convention apply to the service of process in civil and commercial matters but not criminal matters. Also, the Convention shall not apply if the address of the person to be served with the document is not known.

The courts are responsible for serving Slovakia Process Service documents on the addressees. Service under Article 5(1)(a) is done either by the court summoning the addressee and handing over the documents or by postal service. Postal service is done only if a Slovak translation is attached to the documents or if it can be concluded that the addressee understands the language of the document.  In special Slovakia Process Service cases, the court may use the court bailiff, police officer, municipality, or the Ministry of Justice to serve.

Informal delivery is done by the court, which summons the addressee and informs them of the possibility of refusing Slovakia Process Service. If they accept, the documents are handed over; if they do not accept, the Slovakia Process Service request is returned without execution. 

The documents (except for judgments, summons to the hearing, and documents to be served „into own hands“) could be served by electronic means if the addressee requested this means and informed the court of his electronic address. A translation into Slovak is required for  Slovakia Process Service under Article 5(1)(a) unless it can be concluded that the addressee understands the language of the document. Such presumption is applied to the nationals of the requesting State residing on the territory of Slovakia unless specifically pointed out by the requesting authority.

Specific Slovakia Process Service agreements on language requirements exist only in relation to the Czech Republic. However, provisions concerning language requirements in bilateral treaties regulating judicial assistance might be applicable. The Hague Service Convention established a more simplified means for parties to effect service in other contracting states. Under the convention, each contracting state is required to designate a central authority to accept incoming requests for Slovakia Process Service. A judicial officer competent to serve Slovakia Process Service in the state of origin is permitted to send a request for service directly to the central authority of the state where service is to be made. Upon receiving the Slovakia Process Service request, the central authority in the receiving state arranges for service in a manner permitted within the receiving state, typically through a local court. Once Slovakia Process Service is effected, the central authority sends a certificate of service to the judicial officer who made the request.

Currently, Slovakia is a signatory to the Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Non-Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters. – Convention-related information, including an online request form, may be found on the Hague Conference website. There should be two copies of the papers to be served, and translations for each request filed to Slovakia’s Hague Service Convention Central Authority. An attorney or a court clerk should fill out the request form on behalf of the individual requesting the United States. An attorney or a court clerk’s title should be included in the areas for the applicant’s name, address, and signature/stamp. Slovakia has officially opposed service under Article 10 of the Hague Service Convention and does not enable Slovakia Process Service via postal systems.

The Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad in Civil and Commercial Matters (Hague Convention) is signed by Slovakia. The Ministry of Justice has been designated as Slovakia’s central authority for receiving letters requesting the collecting of evidence under the Hague Evidence Convention. Creating a letter of request might be aided by consulting the Model Letters of Request under the Hague Evidence Convention. It is recommended that all letters of the request be written twice. Slovak, French, and English-language letters of request are all acceptable in Slovakia. No diplomatic route is required to send a request for compulsion of evidence under the Hague Evidence Convention from the seeking court or person in the United States to Slovakia’s Central Authority.

OUR PROCESS

Documents can be faxed at (800) 296-0115, emailed ps@undisputedlegal.com, or uploaded to our website. We do require prepayment and accept all major credit and debit cards. Once payment is processed, your sales receipt is immediately emailed for your records.

Drop-offs must call and make an appointment first to be added to building security to permit access to our office. Documents for service must be in a sealed envelope with payment in the form of a money order or attorney check (WE DO NOT ACCEPT CASH) payable to UNDISPUTED LEGAL INC.; All documents will be received by our receptionist.

DOMESTIC COVERAGE AREAS:

Alaska | Alabama | Arkansas | Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | District of Columbia | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Iowa | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Maine | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | North Carolina | North Dakota | Nebraska | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | Nevada | New York | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Virginia | Vermont | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE AREAS:

Albania | Andorra | Anguilla | Antigua | Argentina | Armenia | Australia | Austria | Azerbaijan | Bahamas | Barbados | Belarus | Belgium | Belize | Bermuda | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Botswana | Brazil | British Honduras | British Virgin Islands | Bulgaria | Canada | Cayman Islands | Central and Southern Line Islands | Chile|China (Macao) | China People’s Republic | Colombia | Costa Rica | Country of Georgia | Croatia | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | Dominican Republic | Ecuador | Egypt | Estonia | Falkland Islands and Dependences | Fiji | Finland | France | Germany | Gibraltar | Gilbert and Ellice Islands | Greece | Guernsey | Hong Kong | Hungary | Iceland | India | Ireland | Isle of Man | Israel | Italy | Jamaica | Japan | Jersey Channel Islands | Jordan | Kazakhstan | Korea | Kuwait | Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg| Malawi | Malaysia | Malta | Mauritius | Mexico| MonacoMontenegro | Montserrat | Morocco | Namibia | Netherlands | New Zealand |Nicaragua | Norway | Pakistan | Panama | Paraguay | Peru | Philippines | Pitcairn |Poland| Portugal | Republic of Moldova | Republic of North Macedonia | Romania |Russian Federation | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | San Marino | Saudi Arabia | Serbia | Seychelles | Singapore| Slovakia | Slovenia | South Africa | Spain | Sri Lanka | St. Helena and Dependencies | St. Lucia | Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan | Thailand | Tunisia | Turkey | Turks and Caicos Islands| UkraineUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Uruguay | US Virgin Islands | Uzbekistan | Venezuela | Vietnam

OFFICE LOCATIONS

New York: (212) 203-8001 – 590 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, New York 10022
Brooklyn: (347) 983-5436 – 300 Cadman Plaza West, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11201
Queens: (646) 357-3005 – 118-35 Queens Blvd, Suite 400, Forest Hills, New York 11375
Long Island: (516) 208-4577 – 626 RXR Plaza, 6th Floor, Uniondale, New York 11556
Westchester: (914) 414-0877 – 50 Main Street, 10th Floor, White Plains, New York 10606
Connecticut: (203) 489-2940 – 500 West Putnam Avenue, Suite 400, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830
New Jersey: (201) 630-0114 – 101 Hudson Street, 21 Floor, Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
Washington DC: (202) 655-4450 – 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 4 Fl East, Washington DC 20037

Simply pick up the phone and call Toll-Free (800) 774-6922 or click the service you want to purchase. Our dedicated team of professionals is ready to assist you. We can handle all your process service needs; no job is too small or too large!

Contact us for more information about our process serving agency. We are ready to provide service of process to all our clients globally from our offices in New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington D.C.

“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives”– Foster, William A

Sources

1. Act No. 160/2015, the Contentious Civil Procedure Code (Zákon. 160/2015 Zb., Obiansky zákonnk), defines only the procedural aspects of serving (judicial) documents; service of an act under substantive law, i.e., including a declaration of intent in the form of a document, is governed by Section 45 of Act No. 40/1964, the Civil Code (Zákon. 40/1964 Zb. Service under the substantive and procedural norms varies significantly, particularly in terms of the impact of service, finishing the process of serving, and commencing the legal repercussions of such service.

. A court order allowing an amendment to the action if the parties were not present at the hearing that amended the action (Section 142(2) of the Contentious Civil Procedure Code); an action with annexes (Section 167(1) of the Contentious Civil Procedure Code); and a statement of defense (reply) if the defendant does not acknowledge the full extent of the claim made (Section 167(1) of the Contentious Civil Procedure Code) all require personal service by a process server.

3. For example, a party to the proceedings may request information on their current or former employer’s address, as well as information on their current or former employer’s current or former address. Additionally, the court has the legal authority to call for the assistance of other entities (such as the tax office and the municipality) as well as individuals (such as relatives) who may be able to provide information regarding the whereabouts of the addressee.

4. in accordance with the e-Government Act, service to an electronic mailbox; service to an electronic address, if the documents do not require personal service; via the legitimate servers (the post office, a process server; if necessary, the relevant department of police, a bailiff or the municipal police; in special cases the Prison and Court Guard Service, a facility for institutional or protective care, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the Mi

Papers that need personal service may still be served using the court’s preferred method of serving them, which is service to an electronic mailbox rather than an e-mail. This is because e-mail cannot be used to serve documents that require personal service.

5. in the Register of Inhabitants of Slovak Republic or the address for a foreign national in Slovakia according to his or her residence status; or on a legal person at the address of the legal person’s registered office (e.g., in the Business Register (Obchodn register) or another public register (e.g., the Trade Licensing Register, ivnostensk register).

6. Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic

International Private Law Division (Odbor medzinárodného práva súkromného)

Račianska ul. 71

813 11 Bratislava

Slovak Republic

Telephone: (+421) 2 888 91 258

Fax: (+421) 2 888 91 604

E-mail: civil.inter.coop@justice.sk

Website: http://www.justice.gov.sk/

Languages: Slovak, Czech, English, French, German.

. In accordance with Article 19(2), the Slovak Republic declares that, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 19(1), a judge may give judgment even if no certificate of service or delivery has been received, if all the conditions laid down in this provision are fulfilled.

8. U.S. Embassy Bratislava

Hviezdoslavovo námestie 4,

811 02 Bratislava

Slovakia

Telephone: +(421) (2) 5443-0861 or +(421) (2) 5443-3338

Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(421) 903-703-666

Fax: +(421) (2) 5441-8861

Email: consulbratislava@state.gov

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