A fundamental procedural principle in civil proceedings—as in criminal proceedings—is that proceedings are public. Both the hearing itself and the pronouncement of the judgment must be public. However, the public may be excluded for certain reasons, for example if business secrets are involved or facts of family life have to be discussed. However, the filming or broadcasting of hearings is always inadmissible. Family law proceedings are a general exception to the principle of publicity. These are generally not open to the public.
Unlawful exclusion of the public constitutes a ground for nullity.
In the vast majority of cases, the verdict is pronounced in writing. This is in contrast to criminal proceedings, where the judge must pronounce the verdict orally immediately after the conclusion of the main hearing.
