Karen Fahr - February 17, 2021

If you need to depose a US witness who resides in Greece we have great news – Greece is a party to the Hague Convention which allows the deposition of willing witnesses without any special formalities or involvement of foreign courts.

The official statement from the U.S. Department of State website about taking voluntary depositions of willing witnesses in Greece https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/Judicial-Assistance-Country-Information/Greece.html:

Voluntary depositions of U.S. citizen witnesses may be conducted in Greece, provided no compulsion is used. Voluntary depositions of Greek and third country nationals require prior permission from the Greek Central Authority for the Hague Evidence Convention.

Oral depositions or depositions on written questions may be taken by U.S. consular officers or by private attorneys from the United States or Greece at the U.S. Embassy or at another location such as a hotel or office, either on notice or pursuant to a commission. If the services of a U.S. consular officer are required to administer an oath to the witness, interpreter and stenographer, such arrangements must be made in advance with the U.S. embassy directly.

Cheat Sheet: Depositions in Greece

Our deposition cheat sheet provides a quick reference to information you need before scheduling a court reporter or other deposition services in Greece. View or download our handy six step guide below:

Covid-19 Concerns? Virtual deposition options for Greece

Depositions in Greece can take place remotely, and this is a good option for attorneys who are unable to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out our Covid-19 International Deposition Planning Tool to obtain up-to-date country restrictions for travel, workplace, and gatherings.

We have two options for conducting your remote deposition in Greece:

1. Court Reporter with the Witness – One of our local court reporters will travel to the location of the witness and capture a verbatim record of the proceeding while the attorneys attend remotely.
2. Court Reporter NOT with the Witness – The witness, court reporter, and attorneys are all in separate locations. Our certified and trained court reporters will capture a verbatim record of the proceeding using our state-of-the-art technology from a remote location.

Plan early

The golden rule that we always try to impress upon clients planning depositions abroad, is to be sure to plan ahead. The further you plan ahead, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to locate and book the right professional for your deposition.

Any questions? Optima Juris is the leading provider of U.S. depositions in Greece and we are happy to assist you in any way possible. Please feel free to contact us at any time at: depos@optimajuris.com, or visit our informational quote request page for Greece at: https://www.optimajuris.com/location/greece-court-reporters/