Services · II.
Administrative law
zák. č. 500/2004 Sb.
I defend clients in disputes with Czech public authorities — from the first proceedings to the administrative courts. The Administrative Procedure Code sets the rules every authority must follow; knowing the procedure often decides the case.
Disputes with Czech authorities
Every Czech authority — from a city hall to a ministry — must follow the Administrative Procedure Code (Act No. 500/2004 Coll.). It sets the deadlines, the required form of decisions and the parties' rights. Authorities are bound by it — and successful defences are most often built on their procedural failures.
I represent clients at every stage: from the first filing and objections through appeals and remonstrance to administrative court actions, including cassation complaints to the Supreme Administrative Court. I also take 'small' cases — fines, misdemeanours, refused registrations: the same official mistakes usually hide behind them.
Inactivity is a field of its own: when an authority simply goes silent, the law provides tools to force a decision — a request for measures against inactivity, then a court action. Properly documented deadlines turn the authority's silence from a problem into an argument.
My clients here are business owners after inspections and fines, drivers, property owners in disputes with district offices, and foreigners in proceedings before all kinds of authorities. The common thread: an authority is only as strong as its unexamined procedure. The moment a lawyer enters the case, the tone of the office’s letters changes noticeably.
In Prague, administrative cases go to the Municipal Court — one of the busiest in the country — so the real strategy is often won at the pre-court stage: solid objections and a well-built appeal resolve matters faster than a year of waiting for a hearing. Where court is unavoidable, a properly assembled administrative file saves months.
How I can help
Proceedings before authorities
I represent you before city halls, ministries, inspectorates and professional chambers: drafting filings and statements, attending oral hearings, guarding your procedural rights. The earlier a lawyer enters the proceedings, the less needs 'repairing' later on appeal.
Learn moreAppeals and remonstrance
An appeal is the chance to fix the case inside the administration: I dissect the reasoning, find procedural and substantive defects and frame objections the superior body cannot sidestep. For final decisions — review and reopening of proceedings.
Learn moreInactivity and delays
When an authority stays silent past the statutory deadline, I file a request for measures against inactivity with the superior body and, failing that, a court action to compel a decision. A documented timeline of deadlines is the strongest card in these cases.
Learn moreAdministrative courts
I draft administrative actions: the two-month deadline, formal requirements, suspensive effect. I run the case at the regional court and, where needed, the cassation complaint to the Supreme Administrative Court, tracking case law on recurring situations.
Learn moreFines and misdemeanours
I defend misdemeanour cases from traffic to business duties: checking the protocol, the evidence and limitation periods, negotiating a lower sanction or winning a discontinuation. A small case with an official's mistake often collapses entirely.
Learn morePermitting procedures
I guide you through licences, registrations and consents — from trade authorisations to sector permits. The application is built to give no excuse for 'supplement requests', and I hold the authority to its own decision deadlines.
Learn more
Typical situations
A business owner receives a fine based on a defective protocol: our objections show the inspection exceeded its scope and denied the right to comment on evidence. The superior body annuls the decision; no new proceedings are opened.
A client's application has been pending nine months against a three-month deadline: we file the inactivity request, then a court action 30 days later. The court orders the authority to decide within a set period; the state, as the losing party, bears the costs.
A driver faces a ban for accumulated offences: we take them apart — two are time-barred, one was never properly served. The outcome is a fine instead of a ban, and the right to keep working.
Fees
Reviewing a decision and the prospects of an appeal — fixed fee; representation in proceedings is quoted after I study the file, in writing and in advance. Hourly billing only by agreement.
The fee follows the stage (objections, appeal, court) and the size of the file. A written assessment of a decision and the odds of an appeal comes at a fixed price known up front.
What to prepare for the first consultation
The decision or protocol itself, with the envelope — the delivery date sets the deadlines
All correspondence with the authority: requests, your replies, proof of dispatch
The documents the authority relies on (contracts, permits, reports)
Your evidence: photos, witnesses, recordings, expert opinions — whatever exists
A short timeline: what you received or sent, when, and from whom
Key terms
Správní řád
The Administrative Procedure Code, Act No. 500/2004 Coll. — the general rules for all proceedings before authorities.
Rozklad
The remedy against a ministry’s first-instance decision; decided by the minister.
Suspensive effect
Freezes the enforceability of a decision until the appeal or court review ends.
NSS
The Supreme Administrative Court in Brno — the last instance for cassation complaints.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline for an appeal?
As a rule, 15 days from delivery of the decision unless a special law provides otherwise. The deadline is strict — restoration is exceptional, so act immediately.
How does a court action differ from an appeal?
An appeal is decided by the superior body within the public administration. If it fails, an independent administrative court reviews the decision's lawfulness — the action is generally filed within two months.
Can enforcement of a decision be suspended?
Yes — together with the action you may request suspensive effect where enforcement would cause disproportionate harm. Courts assess this case by case.
The authority decided without hearing me. Is that lawful?
A party has the right to inspect the file, comment on the evidence and receive decisions. Where the authority failed to allow this, the decision can be challenged on procedural grounds — these defects are the first thing I check.
Should I just pay the fine straight away?
Payment is sometimes read as acceptance and complicates the defence; in some proceedings, early payment brings a discount instead. There is no universal answer — send me the decision and I will tell you which course is better in your case.
Contact
- Address
- Konviktská 291/24, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha 12 minutes' walk from Národní třída (metro B, trams)
- Phone
- +420 700 000 000
- kancelar@advokatpopov.cz
- Data box
- [data box ID]
- Consultations
- Mon–Fri 9.00–18.00in person, online or by phone — by appointment