1. In Greek law the means of appeal are distinguished between ordin­ary and extraordinary appeals. The former category includes the objec­tion of default and the stricto sensu appeal, whereas the latter consists of the reopening of contested judgments and the cassation. Unlike the ordinary means of appeal, the extraordinary means of appeal do not suspend the res judicata effect of the judgment which is challenged and in principle they do not stay the execution of the same.

2. The objection of default may be brought against a default judgment which has been issued either in the first or in the second instance, if the party in default has not been lawfully summoned to the hearing; such an objection does not in principle have a suspensive effect. Time for objection of default is 15 days from the service of the default judgment.

Only definite judgments are in principle subject to a stricto sensu appeal which is addressed to a court of appeal for the rehearing of the case on both law and facts. Time for appeal is 30 or 60 days from the date of service of the judgment challenged depending on whether the appellant resides in Greece or abroad respectively. This period however shall be three years from the publication of the judgment in question, if it has not been served. Should the appeal be considered to be admissible and substantiated, the judgment challenged shall be reversed by the court of appeal, which usually retains the case and retries its substance.

3. The reopening of contested judgements is not a common means of appeal; it is allowed only on very narrow grounds which are either solely procedural or both procedural and substantive.

Lastly, a cassation before the Supreme Court may challenge only final judgments on limited grounds of breach, either of a rule of substantive law or of certain procedural rules; such procedural rules may concern matters such as evidence, res judicata, the lawful grounds of the judgment challenged, jurisdiction and competence and alloca­tion of the burden of proof between the parties. Time for cassation is 30 or 90 days from the date of service of the judgment at issue, for persons residing in Greece or abroad respectively. If the judgment is reversed, the Supreme Court may remand the case to a lower court, or retain it, or refer the case to a panel of the Supreme Court for retrial on the substance of the case.