Remedies Against Judgments
Explanation
The State Council law regulates the methods of appealing judgments to protect the rights of litigants. The law provides specific means of appeal such as objection (l'opposition), third-party objection (la tierce opposition), retrial (la révision), and correction of material errors (la rectification d'erreur matérielle). This explanation clarifies these rules based on legal texts.
Decisions issued in absentia can be objected to within two months from the date of notification of the decision. This objection does not suspend the execution of the judgment except by a decision of the State Council. If the decision is rendered in the presence of one party and in absentia for another, the absent party is prevented from objecting if their interest is identical to the interest of the present party.
A person who was not a party or represented in the lawsuit has the right to submit a third-party objection if they are harmed by the decision. The time limit for this objection is two months from the date of knowledge of the judgment. However, the law set a maximum limit for this period, which is five years from the date of issuance of the judgment.
Retrial is limited to three exclusive cases. These cases are basing the decision on forged documents, the opponent hiding a decisive document, or failure to observe fundamental procedures in the investigation and judgment. The time limit for submitting the request is two months starting from the issuance of a final forgery judgment or from the date of notification of the appealed decision.
The law allows the correction of a decision if it contains a material error that affected the judgment. The correction request is submitted by the concerned party within two months from the date of notification of the decision requested to be corrected.
Official legal articles
Think deeper
Why does the law prevent the party against whom a decision in absentia was issued from objecting if their interest does not differ from the interest of another party against whom a decision in presence was issued?
Flashcards
What is the time limit for objecting to a decision in absentia?
Two months starting from the date of notification of the decision in absentia.
Does the objection suspend the execution of the decision in absentia?
It does not suspend execution unless the State Council decides so.
When does a person's right to submit a third-party objection finally lapse?
After the expiration of five years from the date of issuance of the judgment in all circumstances.
What is the time limit for requesting a retrial in case the decision was based on forged documents?
Two months from the date of issuance of a final judgment proving the forgery.
When is it permissible to request the correction of a State Council decision?
If the decision is flawed by a material error that had an effect on the judgment.
Practice questions
A decision in absentia was issued against a person. When does the time limit for objection end?
The objection is submitted within a time limit of two months starting from the date of notification of the decision in absentia (Article 95).
A person who was not a party to the lawsuit was harmed by the judgment. They learned of it three years after its issuance. Can they object?
A third-party objection is allowed within two months of knowledge, provided that the time limit does not exceed five years from the date of issuance of the judgment (Article 97).
Which of the following cases does not accept a retrial request?
Retrial is limited to forgery, hiding a decisive document, and failure to observe fundamental procedures (Article 98). New jurisprudence is not among them.
What is the direct effect of submitting an objection to a decision in absentia?
The objection does not suspend execution unless the State Council decides so (Article 95).
What is the time limit for requesting the correction of a material error in the judgment?
The correction request must be submitted within a period of two months from the date of notification of the decision requested to be corrected (Article 99).
Case problems
A company was notified of a decision in absentia issued by the State Council obliging it to pay a financial amount. After three months had passed since the notification, the company submitted an objection and requested a suspension of execution. What is the fate of this objection?
Model answer
The objection is dismissed in form.
The objection is submitted within a time limit of two months starting from the date of notification of the decision in absentia (Article 95).
Any objection submitted after the expiration of the time limit is dismissed in form.
Since the company submitted the objection three months after the notification, its right to object has lapsed.
Self-grading rubric
A judgment was issued by the State Council. After six years, a person who was not represented in the lawsuit learned that this judgment causes them significant harm. They submitted a third-party objection request immediately. Is their request accepted?
Model answer
The request is not accepted.
Third-party objection requests must be submitted within a time limit of two months from the date of knowledge of the issuance of the judgment (Article 97).
The law also requires that the time limit does not exceed, in all circumstances, five years from the date of its issuance.
Since six years have passed since the issuance of the judgment, the request is dismissed even if submitted immediately upon knowledge of it.
Self-grading rubric
A plaintiff lost their lawsuit before the State Council. One month after being notified of the decision, they discovered that their opponent did not submit a decisive document that was in their possession. Can they appeal the decision, and how?
Model answer
Yes, they can appeal.
A retrial request is accepted if a litigant was judged against due to not submitting a decisive document present in their opponent's possession (Article 98).
The request must be submitted within two months from the date of notification of the appealed decision.
Since they discovered the matter one month after notification, they are still within the legal time limit to submit a retrial request.