The new civil Procedure : the experience of enforcement solicitador

A young yet well organised profession

The meeting organised on November 14th 2003, was a great success for the organisation. Over 200 Enforcement solicitadores met in the catholic University of Lisbon for a permanent training session. The new profession was only set up on 15th of September 2003 in Portugal to implement the civil proceeding reform. For this new young profession, ethics are a corner stone, and José Manuel Oliveira stressed to his colleagues the necessity to have high standards, demonstrating the seriousness of the profession and reinforcing its notoriety.

The professor Armindo Ribeiro Mendes who demonstrated the central role of the Enforcement solicidator, presented the civil proceeding reform.

The practise of notification also presents some difficulties, concerning the regulation in areas of competence, such as the lack of solicitadores of execution in some areas.

An indispensable profession

As UIHJ's secretary, Mr. Bernard Menut intervened to support the setting-up of the new law, and the Enforcement solicitador. He confirmed to the audience that their experience is being followed with attention in a lot of countries in Europe.

He said, also, that the profession of Enforcement solicitador, like the ones of judges or lawyers is necessary for the balance of the judicial system in Portugal and for its efficiency.

The ministry of justice Mrs Celeste Cardona underlined her trust in the profession of Enforcement solicitador to absorb the recent difficulties of the Portuguese judicial system. “I'm counting on you to react quickly”, she said.

She informed the audience of the setting-up of numerous judges of execution in the first quarter 2004, to guide the reform, which is a little bit delayed.