Guide on Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights Right to a fair trial (civil limb) Guide on Article 6 of the Convention – Right to a fair trial (civil limb) Publishers or organisations wishing to reproduce this report (or a translation thereof) in print or online are asked to contact [email protected] for further instructions. This Guide has been prepared by the Research and Library Division, within the Directorate of the Jurisconsult, and does not bind the Court. The text was finalised on 30 April 2013; it may be subject to editorial revision. The document is available for downloading at <www.echr.coe.int> (Case-Law – Case-Law Analysis – Case-Law Guides). For publication updates please follow the Court’s Twitter account at <https:/twitter.com/echrpublication>. © Council of Europe/European Court of Human Rights, 2013 2/66 European Court of Human Rights Guide on Article 6 of the Convention – Right to a fair trial (civil limb) Table of contents Note to readers .............................................................................................. 5 I. Scope: the concept of “civil rights and obligations” ................................... 6 A. General requirements for applicability of Article 6 § 1 .............................................................. 6 1. The term “dispute” ............................................................................................................... 7 2. Existence of an arguable right in domestic law .................................................................... 8 3. “Civil” nature of the right ...................................................................................................... 9 4. Private rights: the pecuniary dimension ............................................................................... 9 B. Extension to other types of dispute .......................................................................................... 10 C. Applicability of Article 6 to proceedings other than main proceedings ................................... 11 D. Excluded matters ...................................................................................................................... 12 II. Right to a court ...................................................................................... 14 A. Right and access to a court ....................................................................................................... 14 1. A right that is practical and effective .................................................................................. 14 2. Limitations .......................................................................................................................... 15 B. Waiver ....................................................................................................................................... 17 1. Principle .............................................................................................................................. 17 2. Conditions ........................................................................................................................... 18 C. Legal aid .................................................................................................................................... 18 1. Granting of legal aid ............................................................................................................ 18 2. Effectiveness of the legal aid granted ................................................................................. 19 III. Institutional requirements .................................................................... 19 A. Concept of a “tribunal” ............................................................................................................. 19 1. Autonomous concept .......................................................................................................... 19 2. Level of jurisdiction ............................................................................................................. 20 3. Review by a court having full jurisdiction ........................................................................... 21 4. Execution of judgments ...................................................................................................... 23 a. Right to prompt implementation of a final and binding judicial decision .................... 23 b. Right not to have a final judicial decision called into question .................................... 25 B. Establishment by law ................................................................................................................ 26 C. Independence and impartiality ................................................................................................. 26 1. General considerations ....................................................................................................... 26 2. An independent tribunal ..................................................................................................... 27 a. Independence vis-à-vis the executive ........................................................................... 27 b. Independence vis-à-vis Parliament .............................................................................. 28 c. Independence vis-à-vis the parties ............................................................................... 28 d. Criteria for assessing independence ............................................................................. 28 i. Manner of appointment of a body’s members ....................................................... 28 ii. Duration of appointment of a body’s members ..................................................... 28 iii. Guarantees against outside pressure .................................................................... 28 iv. Appearence of independence ................................................................................ 29 3/66 European Court of Human Rights Guide on Article 6 of the Convention – Right to a fair trial (civil limb) 3. An impartial tribunal ........................................................................................................... 29 a. Criteria for assessing impartiality ................................................................................. 29 i. Subjective approach ................................................................................................ 29 ii. Objective approach ................................................................................................. 30 b. Situations in which the question of a lack of judicial impartiality may arise ............... 30 i. Situations of a functional nature ............................................................................. 31 α. The exercise of both advisory and judicial functions in the same case ............. 31 β. The exercise of both judicial and extra-judicial functions in the same case...... 31 χ. The exercise of different judicial functions ........................................................ 31 ii. Situations of a personal nature .............................................................................. 32 IV. Procedural requirements ...................................................................... 33 A. Fairness ..................................................................................................................................... 33 1. General principles ............................................................................................................... 33 2. Scope ................................................................................................................................... 34 Examples ...................................................................................................................... 36 3. Fourth instance ................................................................................................................... 38 a. General principles ......................................................................................................... 38 b. Scope and limits of the Court’s supervision ................................................................. 39 c. Consistency of domestic case-law ................................................................................ 40 4. Adversarial proceedings ...................................................................................................... 41 5. Equality of arms .................................................................................................................. 42 6. Administration of evidence ................................................................................................. 43 a. Witness evidence .......................................................................................................... 44 b. Expert opinions ............................................................................................................. 44 7. Reasoning of judicial decisions ........................................................................................... 45 B. Public hearing ........................................................................................................................... 46 1. Hearing ................................................................................................................................ 46 2. Delivery ..............................................................................................................................