Internet law · Greece
Find an internet lawyer in Greece for your online dispute
Online disputes in Greece are decided under codified civil-law statutes rather than judicial precedent, so the lawyer who frames your claim matters from the first step. Tell us what happened and we match you with a Greek lawyer who handles internet-related matters. The matching is free and carries no obligation.
- Free matching, no obligation to instruct
- Greek lawyers entered in a Bar Association register
- First response usually within 24–48 hours
We are a matching service, not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal advice.
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
The problem you are facing
When something goes wrong online, the question is who can act — and how fast
Someone publishes defamatory content about you, copies your website, registers your name as a domain, breaches an agreement concluded online or misuses your data. The practical question is not whether the internet is regulated, but which Greek court or authority can act and how quickly evidence disappears. Greece follows the continental civil-law model, so these disputes are resolved through codified statutes, and a lawyer who knows the Civil Code, the Code of Civil Procedure and local court practice can steer the matter from the first letter. We are a matching service, not a law firm: you describe your situation, and we connect you free of charge with an internet lawyer in Greece who handles the kind of matter you face. One short form, no obligation, and a first response usually within 24 to 48 hours.
Greece in practice
How internet-related disputes work in the Greek legal system
Greece is a continental civil-law jurisdiction: statutes and the Constitution are the primary sources of law, and even decisions of the Supreme Court are not formally binding on lower courts. For an online dispute this means the outcome turns on how the codified rules are applied to your facts, and on the procedural choices your lawyer makes early in the case.
A codified civil-law system, not case law
Greece follows the continental model, based on comprehensive codified statutes rooted in the Roman-Byzantine tradition rather than binding judicial precedent. The Greek Civil Code entered into force on 23 February 1946 and is now codified by Presidential Decree 456/1984, complemented by the Code of Civil Procedure and the Constitution of 1975. Online disputes are argued on the wording of those statutes, and the Supreme Court ensures their uniform interpretation.
Which courts hear your case
Civil, criminal and administrative jurisdictions operate separately. Most online claims start before the Court of First Instance (Protodikeía), with appeals heard by the Court of Appeal (Efeteía). The Court of Cassation (Areios Pagos) does not re-examine the facts of a case; it reviews only the legal correctness of lower decisions, which is why the factual record built at first instance is decisive. Administrative matters sit under the Council of State.
Only Bar Association members may represent you
Membership of a Greek Bar Association is compulsory in order to practise law. Under Article 4 of Law 4194/2013, the Code of Lawyers, a person becomes a dikigóros by passing the nationwide bar examinations, obtaining an appointment decision of the Minister of Justice published in the Government Gazette, taking the statutory oath and being entered in the register of one of the Bar Associations of the State. Representation before every court, authority and public service follows from Article 1.
A public functionary bound by secrecy
Article 1 of the Code of Lawyers characterises the lawyer as a public functionary whose office is a foundation of the rule of law, and states expressly that practising law is not a commercial activity. Lawyers are bound by legal professional secrecy, defend the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, and act as co-operators of the administration of justice under the disciplinary control of the Bar Associations.
Fees, court charges and legal aid
A lawyer’s fee is freely determined by written agreement with the client under Article 58 of the Code of Lawyers; where no written agreement exists, the statutory scale based on the value of the matter applies. Fees carry 24% VAT. Civil claims generally attract proportional judicial stamp duty of 4 or 8 per mille, plus a 30% surcharge allocated to the TAXDIK fund. Legal aid under Law 3226/2004 may cover applicants on low incomes.
Time limits that shape online claims
Claims arising from online conduct are usually pleaded in tort, for which the Civil Code sets a five-year limitation period running from knowledge of the damage, with an absolute ceiling of twenty years. General civil claims can be pursued for up to twenty years, while commercial and periodic claims lapse after five. Acting early preserves evidence and keeps procedural options open.
All country data on this page is drawn from official Greek sources and the European e-Justice Portal, consulted in 2024.
Why these cases stall
Three problems clients bring to us again and again
Online disputes create obstacles that do not appear in ordinary civil litigation, and they usually appear in the first weeks.
The other side is hard to identify
The person who harmed you may be anonymous, publishing through a platform or hosting provider established outside Greece. Identifying who can actually be sued, and where, is the first obstacle — and it has to be solved before anything else moves forward.
Evidence disappears quickly
Posts are edited, accounts closed and pages taken down. Greek civil procedure turns on the documents placed in the case file, so how material is captured, dated and preserved early often determines which arguments remain available to you later.
Costs and language feel unpredictable
Court charges, translations and technical reports are difficult to estimate in advance, and proceedings are conducted in Greek. Without a written fee agreement, you may not know what you are committing to when you instruct a lawyer.
How we help
What you get when you send us your request
We do not practise law. We take your description, identify the practice area involved and introduce you to lawyers whose work covers it.
Matched to the right practice area
Internet-related matters do not sit in one neat box. Defamation, data misuse, e-commerce contracts and domain conflicts are handled by different specialists, and we route your request accordingly.
Greek lawyers admitted to a Bar
Every lawyer we introduce is entered in the register of a Greek Bar Association, as Law 4194/2013 requires for the practice of law in Greece, and can represent you before courts, authorities and public services.
Free and without obligation
You pay nothing to be matched and you are not bound to instruct anyone. You decide whether to proceed after you have spoken to the lawyer and understood the proposed approach and fees.
Clear fee arrangements from the start
Greek lawyers may agree their fee in writing with the client, and we encourage you to ask for that clarity before work begins, together with an outline of court charges and any other costs that may arise.
Cross-border matters
Facing a similar problem elsewhere in Europe?
Online disputes rarely respect borders, and claimants living outside Greece often need a lawyer there. We also match clients with lawyers in these European countries.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about instructing an internet lawyer in Greece
What kind of work does an internet lawyer in Greece take on?
Greek lawyers advise and act on online defamation, misuse of personal data, e-commerce and platform contracts, domain-name conflicts and online fraud. Because Greece applies codified civil-law statutes, the lawyer first identifies which statutory claim fits your facts, then which court or authority has jurisdiction, and what evidence must be secured immediately.
Does my lawyer have to be a member of a Greek Bar Association?
Yes. Membership of a Bar Association is compulsory in order to practise law in Greece. Under Article 4 of Law 4194/2013, a lawyer acquires that status through the nationwide bar examinations, a ministerial appointment published in the Government Gazette, the statutory oath and entry in a Bar register. The Athens Bar Association alone has roughly 22,000 members.
In which language are Greek proceedings conducted?
The language of the courts and authorities is Greek. Correspondence, pleadings and hearings take place in Greek, so documents and evidence produced in another language generally need to be translated for the file. Ask the lawyer you speak to how translation is handled and whether it is included in the fee you agree.
How long do I have to bring a claim in Greece?
It depends on the basis of the claim. Tort claims, which typically cover harm caused online, are subject to a five-year limitation period running from knowledge of the damage, with an absolute ceiling of twenty years. General civil claims can be pursued for up to twenty years, while commercial and periodic claims lapse after five years.
Can a Greek lawyer represent me outside the courts as well?
Under Article 1 of the Code of Lawyers, a lawyer represents and defends clients before every court, authority and public service, and also provides legal advice and opinions. That covers correspondence with platforms, complaints to authorities and pre-action letters, not only litigation. The same article describes the lawyer’s office as a foundation of the rule of law.
How are lawyers’ fees set, and is legal aid available?
A lawyer’s fee is freely determined by written agreement covering all or part of the proceedings; where no written agreement exists, the statutory scale based on the value of the matter applies, and fees carry 24% VAT. Free legal aid under Law 3226/2004 may be available to low-income applicants in criminal, civil and commercial cases.
Next step
Describe your situation and let us find the right lawyer
Write a few lines about what happened, where it happened online and what you would like to achieve. We review your request, match it with a Greek lawyer whose practice covers that area, and put you in contact. The service costs you nothing and you decide freely whether to instruct.