When a court judgment is void

Article 270(1) of the Bulgarian Code of Civil Procedure does not specify the particular defects that render a judgment void. Case law has nevertheless defined and established the meaning of the term.

First, a judgment is void if delivered by a person who lacks the legal capacity to act as a judge or by a single judge where a panel was required.

A judgment would also be void if it concerned a matter over which the court had no judicial authority (for example, a non-civil matter decided under the Code of Civil Procedure). The same applies to a dispute outside the personal and territorial jurisdiction of the Bulgarian court because it falls within the exclusive jurisdiction of a foreign court.

Finally, a judgment delivered only orally is void. So too is a written judgment left unsigned because the judges forming a majority of the panel refuse to sign it.

This article does not provide a legal opinion or advice about any particular person or situation. For assistance with a similar case, consult a lawyer.