When family disputes reach the courts, they usually first pass through the chambers dealing with interim measures, specifically the provisional orders chamber, where the court immediately settles issues arising in relation to child custody, communication with the parent who does not live with them, and any maintenance obligations.

For example, in November, I successfully represented two of my clients in provisional order proceedings, the first as the defendant in a petition filed by his estranged wife, and the second as the petitioner. Specifically

With its provisional order of […] 11.2025, the Single-Member Court of First Instance of Athens rejected the request of my client’s separated wife to be granted an excessive amount as monthly maintenance for herself and the minor child of the parties, accepting the request for less than “half” of the amount requested. With this ruling, the Court confirmed the position of case law, according to which it is not so much the amount of the debtor’s income that is important in determining maintenance, but the actual needs of the beneficiary.

With the as of  […] 11.2025 provisional order, the same Court granted my client’s request and regulated his communication with the child, who lives with his mother, giving him the right to have his child overnight at his home on a monthly basis for a long period of time, taking into account the long distance between the parents’ homes and the need for the child to maintain as much contact as possible with his father, given the circumstances.

The outcome of the provisional order is crucial, as given the delay in the trial of the main case, it often ends up determining the final outcome.