The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) has published a special guide entitled ‘The European Court of Human Rights – Questions and Answers for Lawyers’ online. The small booklet can be seen as a very practical, albeit also quite basic (it includes only “key information”, as the editors state) introduction to the aspects of the Strasbourg system relevant to practicing lawyers. Questions answered range from “How should ECHR case law be invoked in the
national proceedings?” to “Can applicants obtain legal aid in respect
of proceedings before the Court?” Many answers include links to further relevant information. This is the abstract of the guide:
“This guide is directed at lawyers intending
to bring a case before the ECHR. The guide, which is a list of questions and
answers, contains information and practical advice for proceedings before
national courts prior to application to the ECHR, before the Court itself, and
during the enforcement of the Court’s judgments.
A number of questions are covered in the
handbook, including: at what stage of proceedings before national courts should
human rights violations be pleaded under the European Convention of Human
Rights; how to submit an application to the Court; the technical aspects of
proceedings; and the role of a lawyer once a judgment has been rendered. Also
included are reference to tools and resources available for parties and their
lawyers.”
