Procedures
Código General del Proceso with oral hearings and concentration
Ley 1564/2012, the Código General del Proceso, replaced the older written code and introduced oral, concentrated hearings with strict judicial time limits, including a general one-year target for first instance. Conciliation before filing is a prerequisite for many civil claims. Judgments are enforced through executory proceedings based on documentary title.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National procedural code; administrative claims follow the CPACA
- Deadline — Answer to a claim: 20 days in ordinary proceedings
- Deadline — Appeal: three days to announce, then grounds within the set term
- Deadline — Statutory target of one year for first instance and six months for appeal
Governing law
- Ley 1564/2012 - Código General del Proceso
- Ley 640/2001 - Conciliación
- Ley 1437/2011 - CPACAadministrative procedure
In practice
The statutory duration limits in Articles 121 of the CGP are unusual in expressly attaching consequences to judicial delay, including loss of competence over the case. Compulsory pre-suit conciliation through a licensed centre or the Procuraduría filters a substantial volume of disputes and its certificate is required for admissibility of many claims.