Greece

• The Constitution of 1975, the highest law
• The Civil Code (in force since 1946), the Penal Code and other codes
• European Union law, which takes priority in its area
• Decisions of the highest courts, which guide lower courts

• The Court of Cassation (Areios Pagos) for civil and criminal cases
• The Council of State for administrative cases, including the annulment of administrative acts
• The Court of Audit for public finance
• Courts of appeal and first-instance courts

A law degree, a traineeship with a lawyer, and examinations, followed by registration with a local bar association.

• Any court can set aside a law that conflicts with the Constitution in the case before it; a Special Supreme Court settles disagreements between the top courts.
• The Civil Code is modelled on the German BGB, though Greece was long ruled by Byzantine law, which stayed in force until 1946.
• Administrative disputes are handled by their own court system, as in France.
• Lawyers must join a local bar association, which also sets fees and rules.

Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, Cyprus

The University of Ottawa’s JuriGlobe database lists Greece as: Civil law. It names the systems in order of importance.

The map colours a country by the first-named system, and shows both civil-law and common-law countries as “mixed”. It is a simplification, and real systems are rarely pure.

Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria.

• Court of Cassation of Greece (Areios Pagos)
• Council of State of Greece

Sources last reviewed: October 2026.