New rules were adopted by the Belgian courts (in French) on 16th March.  

The rules are designed to limit interpersonal contact by dealing only with urgent cases and using written procedure wherever possible. Although courts remain open, access to building is tightly controlled.  

Except for urgent cases, new proceedings will not be opened until after 19th April and judgments in cases that are already decided will be delayed until after 19th April. Where oral hearings are fixed, where the parties agree, written proceedings may instead be applied. 

As a general rule, prisoners should not be transferred to court for hearings and lawyers are asked to represent their clients instead.  If the  presence of a party is  deemed  necessary,  the case  should be postponed  until after  19  April  2020  except in urgent cases. 

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