Litigation Process (in the end in English)
Haastehakemus
Haastehakemuksessa yksilöidään vaatimukset ja niiden perusteet ja esitetään näyttö ja mitä sillä halutaan näyttää toteen. Usein haastehakemukset laaditaan liian laajoiksi ja ympäripyöreiksi. Parhammillaan se on enemmän luettelomainen kertomus kuin kertomuksenomainen romaani. Jokainen virhe käsitellään siinä erikseen. Pelkkä viittaus tavarantarkastuskertomukseen ei ole riittävä yksilöinti. Virhe on kirjoitettava auki. Virheestä on lisäksi kirjoitettava sen oikeudellinen luonnehdinta esim. oliko virhe nähtävissä, myyjän tietoisuus jne. Vaikein osa onkin vaatimuksen oikea juridinen luonnehdinta. Vaikka lainkohtia ei tarvitse kirjoittaa auki juridinen luonnehdinta tapahtuu niiden kautta, jonka takia ne on hyvä kirjoittaa haastehakemukseen. Samoin kuin oikeuskäytäntökin.
Vastine
Vastineessa vastataan kaikkiin haastehakemuksen vaatimukseen yksityiskohtaisesta ja samalla tavalla kuin haastehakemus tehtäisiin. Vaatimuksen jokin määrä voidaan kiistää tai myöntää vaadituilta osin tai johonkin määrään asti. Jokaiselle virheelle pitäisi kantajalla olla oma "hinta", johon vastaaja voi ottaa kantaa määrän ja perusteen osalta.
Kirjalliseen valmisteluun kuuluu mahdollisesti myös kirjallisia lausumia eli tarkennuksia, mitä tuomari asiassa pyytää.
Suullinen valmistelu
Suullista valmistelua varten tuomari lähettää kirjallisen yhteenvedon. Jotkut tuomarit lähettävät sen jo kuukausi tai viikkoja aikaisemmin mutta useimmat vasta pari päivää ennen valmisteluistuntoa.
Jokaisella tuomarilla on vähän erilainen tapa pitää valmisteluistunto mutta pääpiirteissään se etenee niin, että läsnäolijoiden ja asian esittelyjen jälkeen ensin puhutaan riidoista ja sovinnoista ja sen jälkeen vasta ryhdytään käymään yhteenvetoa läpi, onko siihen on muutoksia. Yhteenveto toimii myöhemmin tuomion pohjana ja on sen alkuosa. Siihen on siis kirjattu vaatimukset ja niiden perusteet puolin ja toisin tiivistetysti eli vain olennaiset kohdat. Valmisteluistunnossa keskustellaan vaatimuksista ja tarkennetaan kirjauksia enemmän tai vähemmän riippuen kuinka valmis asia ja yhteenveto on. Joskus muutoksia tehdään paljon ja joskus asiassa sovitaan pidettäväksi jatkovalmistelu ja välillä täsmennetään yhteenvetoja. Usein yhteenvedot on laadittu riittävän tarkasti ja vain muutamia lisäyksiä tehdään osapuolten toivomuksesta. Tarkoitus ei siis ole että haastehakemus ja vastine kirjataan siihen kokonaan. Ne jäävät tausta-aineistoksi eivätkä menetä merkitystään.
Keskustelu valmisteluistunnossa tapahtuu pääosin tuomarin ja asianajajien välillä mutta hyvin usein päämiehetkin osallistuvat siihen, kun esitetään kysymyksiä ”miten se nyt menikään”. Tarkoitus ei ole kuitenkaan kuulla päämiehiä sillä se tehdään pääkäsittelyssä kun kuullaan asianosaiset ja todistajat asiakirjaesittelyn jälkeen. Ja tietysti sovinnosta keskustellaan. Vaikka asia on rankka tunnetasolla kannattaa välttää liikaa sen esilletuomista. Keskustellaan asiallisesti. Asu on normaali arkiasu. Mukana asiakirjat, läppäri tai muistiinpanot.
Valmisteluistunnossa sovitaan mihin mennessä pitää ilmoittaa muutokset, todisteet ja vaatimukset lopullisesti , jonka jälkeen niitä ei voi esittää. Eli kaikki väitteet ja näyttö on kaivettava ennen tuota esille. Puhutaan prekluusiosta. Tämä prekluusio päivämäärä sovitaan ja määräytyy paljolti sen mukaan mihin pääkäsittelypäivät saadaan sovittua.
Valmistelun jälkeen saadaan päivitetty yhteenveto ja edetään sovitun prosessisuunnitelman mukaisesti.
Pääkäsittely
Pääkäsittely on viimeinen vaihe ennen tuomiota ja valituksia. Pääkäsittely kestää asian laajuudesta riippuen yhdestä päivästä useisiin päiviin. Pääkäsittelyssä asia esitellään tuomarille, eli mistä on kysymys, mitä pääkäsittelyssä tapahtuu ja mitä tullaan näyttämään. Tämän jälkeen asianajajat käyvät läpi asiakirjatodisteet ja ne kohdat mitä ne osoittavat riitaisista seikoista. Sen jälkeen kuullaan todistajat. Lopuksi annetaan loppulausunnot asiasta kokonaisuudessaan. Tämän jälkeen asia jää päätökselle, joka annetaan kuukauden tai kahden sisällä normaalisti. Kärjäoikeusvaihe haastehakemuksen jättämisestä saattaa isommissa kaupungeissa kestää 1 vuoden, jopa enemmän.
Valitus hovioikeuteen
Käräjäoikeuden päätöksen jälkeen asiassa on valitusoikeus hovioikeuteen. Päätökseen ilmoitetaan tyytymättömyyttä 7 päivän sisällä päätöksen antopäivää lukuunottamatta. Valitus hovioikeudelle on toimittetava 30 päivän kuluessa käräjäoikeuden päätöksen antopäivästä. Hovioikeudelta on pyydettävä erityinen jatkovalituslupa valittamiseen kaikkiin asioihin 1.10.2015 lähtien. Se tehdään valituksen yhteydessä. Lisäksi vastapuolella on vastavalitusoikeus 14 päivän kuluessa em. 30 päivän määräajan päättymisestä. Vastavalitus tarkoittaa sitä, että se osapuoli, joka ei ollut valittamassa voi myös valittaa siitä osasta, jossa ei ehkä menestynyt.
Hovioikeudessa asia käsitellään kirjallisena tai pidetään suullinen käsittely, jos asiassa on arvioitava näyttöä uudelleen. Käsittely tapahtuu kolmen tuomarin istunnossa. Suullisessa pääkäsittelyssä otetaan sama näyttö uudelleen vastaan.mitä alioikeudessa. Jos on valitettu vain osasta tuomiota niin näyttöä otetaan vastaan siitä mistä on valitettu. Käsittely järjestetään ja päätös annetaan noin 1-2 vuoden kuluttua valituksen jättämisestä.
Valitus Korkeimpaan oikeuteen
Hovioikeuden ratkaisusta voidaan 60 päivän sisällä hakea muutoksenhakulupaa korkeimmalta oikeudelta ja valittaa hovioikeuden päätöksestä. Korkein oikeus antaa riitajutuissa luvan valittamiseen alle 10% juttuja. Jos lupa myönnetään, asia käsitellään 1-2 vuodessa.
Litigation process
Bill of Indictment application
The trial begins with a bill of indictment application, which is submitted to the court. This is the most important document in the case. It is said that it will win or lose the case. Non-lawyers should not be allowed to prepare bill of indictment applications. In court proceedings, only a lawyer with a bar degree or a so-called licensed attorney. First Maittu is a member of the Bar Association. The latter is a lawyer with a bar degree but does not belong to the bar association.
In the challenge application, the requirements and their bases are identified and the evidence is presented and what it is intended to prove. Often, subpoena applications are drawn up too broad and roundabout. At its best, it is more of a list-like narrative than a narrative novel. Each error is dealt with separately. A mere reference to the goods inspection report is not sufficient identification. The error must be written openly. In addition, the legal characterization of the error must be written, e.g. whether the error was visible, the seller's awareness, etc. The most difficult part is the correct legal characterization of the claim. Although the legal points do not have to be written out, the legal characterization takes place through them, which is why it is good to write them in the subpoena application. As well as jurisprudence.
Response
In the response, all requirements of the bill of indictment application are answered in detail and in the same way as a bill of indictment application would be made. An amount of the claim can be denied or granted in the required parts or up to a certain amount. For each error, the plaintiff should have its own "price", which the defendant can comment on in terms of amount and basis.
Written preparation may also include written statements, i.e. clarifications, which the judge requests in the case.
Oral preparation
After the written preparation, an oral preparation will be organized in the case. It specifies the requirements on both sides and specifies the proof in terms of documents and witnesses. In the oral preparation, the possibility of reconciliation (mediation) is also discussed. In addition, it is agreed whether the matter in main hearing will be heard in a session of one or three judges. There can be several oral preparations.
For the oral preparation, the judge sends a written summary. Some judges send it already a month or weeks before, but most only a couple of days before the preparatory session.
Each judge has a slightly different way of holding the preparatory oral session, but in general it proceeds in such a way that, after the presentations of those present and the case, disputes and settlements are first discussed, and only then do we begin to go through the summary to see if there are any changes. The summary later serves as the basis of the judgment and is its initial part. So the requirements and their bases have been written down in a summarized way, i.e. only the essential points. In the preparation session, the requirements are discussed and the entries are specified more or less depending on how ready the matter and summary is. Sometimes a lot of changes are made and sometimes further preparation is agreed upon and sometimes summaries are specified. The summaries are often prepared with sufficient accuracy and only a few additions are made at the request of the parties. So the intention is not that the bill of indictment application and the response are recorded in it completely. They remain as background material and do not lose their meaning.
The evidence is not discussed at this stage of process. The judge is not familiar with it. It's just recorded at the end of the summary.
The discussion in the preparation session mainly takes place between the judge and the lawyers, but very often the principals also take part in it when questions are asked "how did it go now". However, the purpose is not to hear the principals, as it is done in the main hearing when the parties and witnesses are heard after the document presentation. And, of course, reconciliation is discussed. Even if the matter is tough on an emotional level, you should avoid bringing it up too much. Let's talk factually. The outfit is a normal everyday outfit. Documents, notebook or notes take with you.
It will be agreed in the preparation session by when must the changes, proofs and claims be notified once and for all, after which they cannot be presented. That is, all claims and evidence must be dug up before that. Let's talk about preclusion. This preclusion date is agreed upon and determined to a large extent depending on where the main trial dates can be agreed upon.
After the preparation, an updated summary is obtained and we proceed according to the agreed process plan.
Main processing
The main hearing is the final stage before judgment and appeals. The main hearing lasts from one to several days, depending on the scope of the case. In the main hearing, the case is presented to the judge, i.e. what is at issue, what will happen in the main hearing and what will be shown. After this, the lawyers go through the documentary evidence and the points they show about disputed matters. After that, the witnesses will be heard. Finally, final statements on the matter as a whole are given. After this, the matter remains for a decision, which is normally given within a month or two. The district court stage of submitting a subpoena application may take 1 year, even more, in larger cities.
Appeal to the Court of Appeal
After the district court's decision, there is a right of appeal to the Court of Appeal. Dissatisfaction with the decision must be filed in court within 7 days, excluding the day the decision was issued. The appeal to the Court of Appeal must be submitted within 30 days from the date of the district court's decision. A special permission to appeal must be requested from the Court of Appeal to appeal in all cases from 1 October 2015. It is done in connection with the complaint. In addition, the opposing party has the right to counter-appeal within 14 days of the expiry of the aforementioned 30-day period. A counter-appeal means that the party that was not complaining can also complain about the part where they may not have been successful.
In the Court of Appeal, the case is dealt with in writing or an oral hearing is held if the evidence in the case needs to be re-evaluated. The hearing takes place in a three-judge session. In the main oral hearing, the same evidence will be accepted again, as in the lower court. If only a part of the judgment has been appealed, then evidence will be accepted for what has been appealed. Processing is organized and a decision is issued approximately 1-2 years after filing the complaint.
Appeal to the Supreme Court
Within 60 days from the decision of the Court of Appeal, you can apply for permission to appeal from the Supreme Court and appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal. In contested cases, the Supreme Court grants permission to appeal in less than 10% of cases. If the permit is granted, the matter will be processed in 1-2 years.
Bill of Indictment application
The trial begins with a bill of indictment application, which is submitted to the court. This is the most important document in the case. It is said that it will win or lose the case. Non-lawyers should not be allowed to prepare bill of indictment applications. In court proceedings, only a lawyer with a bar degree or a so-called licensed attorney. First Maittu is a member of the Bar Association. The latter is a lawyer with a bar degree but does not belong to the bar association.
In the challenge application, the requirements and their bases are identified and the evidence is presented and what it is intended to prove. Often, subpoena applications are drawn up too broad and roundabout. At its best, it is more of a list-like narrative than a narrative novel. Each error is dealt with separately. A mere reference to the goods inspection report is not sufficient identification. The error must be written openly. In addition, the legal characterization of the error must be written, e.g. whether the error was visible, the seller's awareness, etc. The most difficult part is the correct legal characterization of the claim. Although the legal points do not have to be written out, the legal characterization takes place through them, which is why it is good to write them in the subpoena application. As well as jurisprudence.
Response
In the response, all requirements of the bill of indictment application are answered in detail and in the same way as a bill of indictment application would be made. An amount of the claim can be denied or granted in the required parts or up to a certain amount. For each error, the plaintiff should have its own "price", which the defendant can comment on in terms of amount and basis.
Written preparation may also include written statements, i.e. clarifications, which the judge requests in the case.
Oral preparation
After the written preparation, an oral preparation will be organized in the case. It specifies the requirements on both sides and specifies the proof in terms of documents and witnesses. In the oral preparation, the possibility of reconciliation (mediation) is also discussed. In addition, it is agreed whether the matter in main hearing will be heard in a session of one or three judges. There can be several oral preparations.
For the oral preparation, the judge sends a written summary. Some judges send it already a month or weeks before, but most only a couple of days before the preparatory session.
Each judge has a slightly different way of holding the preparatory oral session, but in general it proceeds in such a way that, after the presentations of those present and the case, disputes and settlements are first discussed, and only then do we begin to go through the summary to see if there are any changes. The summary later serves as the basis of the judgment and is its initial part. So the requirements and their bases have been written down in a summarized way, i.e. only the essential points. In the preparation session, the requirements are discussed and the entries are specified more or less depending on how ready the matter and summary is. Sometimes a lot of changes are made and sometimes further preparation is agreed upon and sometimes summaries are specified. The summaries are often prepared with sufficient accuracy and only a few additions are made at the request of the parties. So the intention is not that the bill of indictment application and the response are recorded in it completely. They remain as background material and do not lose their meaning.
The evidence is not discussed at this stage of process. The judge is not familiar with it. It's just recorded at the end of the summary.
The discussion in the preparation session mainly takes place between the judge and the lawyers, but very often the principals also take part in it when questions are asked "how did it go now". However, the purpose is not to hear the principals, as it is done in the main hearing when the parties and witnesses are heard after the document presentation. And, of course, reconciliation is discussed. Even if the matter is tough on an emotional level, you should avoid bringing it up too much. Let's talk factually. The outfit is a normal everyday outfit. Documents, notebook or notes take with you.
It will be agreed in the preparation session by when must the changes, proofs and claims be notified once and for all, after which they cannot be presented. That is, all claims and evidence must be dug up before that. Let's talk about preclusion. This preclusion date is agreed upon and determined to a large extent depending on where the main trial dates can be agreed upon.
After the preparation, an updated summary is obtained and we proceed according to the agreed process plan.
Main processing
The main hearing is the final stage before judgment and appeals. The main hearing lasts from one to several days, depending on the scope of the case. In the main hearing, the case is presented to the judge, i.e. what is at issue, what will happen in the main hearing and what will be shown. After this, the lawyers go through the documentary evidence and the points they show about disputed matters. After that, the witnesses will be heard. Finally, final statements on the matter as a whole are given. After this, the matter remains for a decision, which is normally given within a month or two. The district court stage of submitting a subpoena application may take 1 year, even more, in larger cities.
Appeal to the Court of Appeal
After the district court's decision, there is a right of appeal to the Court of Appeal. Dissatisfaction with the decision must be filed in court within 7 days, excluding the day the decision was issued. The appeal to the Court of Appeal must be submitted within 30 days from the date of the district court's decision. A special permission to appeal must be requested from the Court of Appeal to appeal in all cases from 1 October 2015. It is done in connection with the complaint. In addition, the opposing party has the right to counter-appeal within 14 days of the expiry of the aforementioned 30-day period. A counter-appeal means that the party that was not complaining can also complain about the part where they may not have been successful.
In the Court of Appeal, the case is dealt with in writing or an oral hearing is held if the evidence in the case needs to be re-evaluated. The hearing takes place in a three-judge session. In the main oral hearing, the same evidence will be accepted again, as in the lower court. If only a part of the judgment has been appealed, then evidence will be accepted for what has been appealed. Processing is organized and a decision is issued approximately 1-2 years after filing the complaint.
Appeal to the Supreme Court
Within 60 days from the decision of the Court of Appeal, you can apply for permission to appeal from the Supreme Court and appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal. In contested cases, the Supreme Court grants permission to appeal in less than 10% of cases. If the permit is granted, the matter will be processed in 1-2 years.