Skip to main content
Other
Case note on Supreme Court of Cyprus (2007), Toumaian Christodoulidou v. Toumaian (2007) 1 Α.Α.Δ. 1024 [in Greek]
(2008)
  • Nikitas E Hatzimihail
Abstract
The note makes the statement that the Family Courts of Cyprus have been gradually transformed, from tribunal to court, since their establishment in 1990, by means of the legislative reforms and the evolution of case law in the past two decades. Having been launched as tribunals, in replacement of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction over divorce cases of the Greek Orthodox Community, they presently stand as superior courts of limited jurisdiction (courts of justice), with power and specialization over all matters of family law. As a consequence, ratione personae exceptions to their jurisdiction (notably with regard to members of the three acknowledged religious groups of Cyprus: Latin Catholics, Maronite and Armenians) should be limited to those issues prescribed expressly for the Community Tribunals. There is little room for the default jurisdiction that District Courts (superior courts of general jurisdiction) once exercised in family cases (notably under the British colonial era). This statement was subsequently endorsed by the Supreme Court of Cyprus in Sioukrou v. Ulrich (2011).
Keywords
  • Family litigation; personality of laws; comparative law; Cyprus law
Publication Date
Fall 2008
Citation Information
Nikitas E Hatzimihail. "Case note on Supreme Court of Cyprus (2007), Toumaian Christodoulidou v. Toumaian (2007) 1 Α.Α.Δ. 1024 [in Greek]" (2008)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/nikitas_hatzimihail/5/