Separate Courts For IP Cases

On July 1, 2020, an amendment to the Code of Civil Procedure will enter into force, as a result of which special departments dealing exclusively with intellectual property cases will be created in courts. Such departments will be created in four regional courts – in Warsaw, Poznan, Gdansk and Lublin, and in two courts of appeal in Warsaw. The new departments will deal with intellectual property matters, including unfair competition, protection of personal rights as well as advertising and promotion issues.

In addition, as part of the District Court in Warsaw, a special department will be created to deal with matters in the field of computer programs, inventions, utility models, topographies of integrated circuits, plant varieties and technical secrets of the enterprise.

In all matters dealt with in newly created departments, there will be the obligation to be represented by a professional representative – legal counsel, lawyer or patent attorney.