The Most Common Errors in the Practice of Law from the Perspective of the Canonical Marital Proceedings

Abstract

The ecclesiastical lawyer plays an important role in the ecclesiastical justice system. Their substantive support to the litigant certainly helps them to navigate through the meanderings of canonical concepts and procedures. Sometimes the advocate finds himself or herself caught between the procedural rights of the client (e.g. the timely handling of the plaintiff’s complaint) and the realities of the ecclesiastical courts (e.g. delays in the production of court opinions due to a small number of experts). This article aims to show the most common errors made by ecclesiastical lawyers when carrying out the tasks resulting from a received litigation assignment. These irregularities concern not only inappropriate relations with the client or lack of reaction to court decisions unfavourable from the client's point of view, but also advocacy activities undertaken in circumvention of canon law.