In the latest issue of “Lawyer Online,” Yuriy Radzievsky, a partner at Barristers, explains whether it is legal for investigators to serve summonses via messaging apps and how to proceed in such a situation.

What’s important to know?

According to Article 135 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, an investigator has the right to summon a person by serving a summons in person, by mail, by email, by fax, by telephone, or by telegram.

Court practice regarding summonses via messaging apps varies:

• Some judges consider such summonses improper, as there is no confirmation that the person received the message.
• Others accept a screenshot from a messaging app as proof of proper service of the summons and may impose a fine or use compulsory attendance.

You shouldn’t automatically assume that a summons sent via a messaging app is invalid—it all depends on the circumstances of the case and judicial practice.

What is the correct course of action?

We recommend acting based on the specific situation and knowing your rights to avoid unjustified penalties.

Watch the video for more details!