Analysis of Recent Case Law on the Service of Process in Civil Procedures

Vročanje v pravdnem postopku je pomemben pravni institut, urejen v Zakonu o pravdnem postopku (ZPP). Stranki zagotavlja pravico do izjave in sodelovanja v postopku. Magistrsko diplomsko delo analizira uporabo instituta vročanja v sodni praksi od leta 2017 dalje oz. po sprejetju novele ZPP-E do konca marca leta 2022. V prvem delu naloge so predstavljene določbe ZPP glede vročanja in novosti, ki jih je prinesla novela ZPP-E, v drugem pa analiza sodne prakse, predvsem prakse višjih sodišč in Vrhovnega sodišča ter glavnih problemov, s katerimi se sodišča srečujejo pri odločanju o pravilnosti vročitve. V Analizi sem želel ugotoviti, ali prihaja do odstopanj od sodne prakse ali pa je ta enotna glede glavnih problemov vročanja v pravdnem postopku. V sodni praksi vročanja je največkrat uporabljen institut fikcije vročitve, ki posega v strankino pravico do izjave, a je nujna za zagotovitev učinkovitega sodnega postopka. Pri fikciji sem opazil spremembo prakse pri računanju izteka 15-dnevnega roka, katerega iztek novejša praksa upošteva na zadnji, 15. dan, ne glede na to, ali je dan delovni ali nedelovni. V delu je predstavljena tudi odločba Ustavnega sodišča, ki je razveljavila določbo ZPP, ki je omogočala vročitev na formalno prijavljenem, a ne dejanskem naslovu bivanja stranke, ter obsežna novejša praksa višjih sodišč ter Vrhovnega sodišča, ki je nastala na podlagi te določbe. Obsežneje so v praksi zastopane tudi napake pri vročanju v tujino ter vročanju pravnim osebam.The service of process in civil procedures is an important procedural act, regulated by the Civil Procedure Act (in Slovene: “Zakon o pravdnem postopku,” hereinafter referred to as "the ZPP”). It enables the parties to exercise their right to be heard and participate in the proceedings. The master’s thesis analyses the case law of the Slovenian courts as regards the service of process in the period between 2017 and the end of March in 2022, when the amendment ZPP-E was adopted. In the first part of the thesis, I analyse the relevant provisions of the ZPP on the service of process and the novelties introduced by the amendment ZPP-E. In the second part, I analyse the new case law, primarily that of the higher courts and of the Slovenian Supreme court. In addition, I discuss the main problem the courts face in deciding on the regularity of using the service of process. In the analysis, I explore whether the case law regarding the service of process is settled and whether any deviations in different judgments occur. In recent case law of the service of process, the legal institute of fiction of service has been the most used. Even though it interferes with the party’s right to be heard, it is essential to ensure an efficient civil procedure. I noticed a change in the case law regarding the determination of the expiry of the 15-day fiction period. The latest case law regards the 15th day as the expiry day of the fiction period, irrespective of the fact that this day may be a working day or a work-free day. In the thesis, I also present the decision of the Constitutional Court which repealed the provision of the ZPP that made possible the service at a formally registered place of residence instead of at an actual place of residence. This decision has significantly affected the recent case law of the higher courts and of the Supreme Court. Also of note in case law are the mistakes in the act of service of process abroad and the act of service of process to legal entities