Supreme Court quashes civil judgment for denying guardian to absent defendant, violating defense rights under Civil Procedure Code.

The Supreme Court of Poland quashed a lower court judgment ordering payment to a plaintiff against a defendant whose whereabouts were unknown. The Ministry of Justice argued the trial was invalid because the court failed to appoint a guardian for the defendant despite the plaintiff's request and police confirmation of the defendant's absence. The court ruled that denying a guardian when a party's location is unknown violates the right to defense and renders the proceedings void.