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A Guide to Dutch Courts

A Guide to Dutch Courts

The judicial system in the Netherlands

The Dutch courts are divided into four subcategories which comprise different areas of law like administrative law or criminal law. The Netherlands has a legal system based on the French Civil Code, the Roman law and the traditional Dutch law. The Ministry of Security and Justice is the most important institution that governs Dutch law.

Our law firm in the Netherlands can help you with legal representation in persona matters or corporate issue. Our lawyers can represent you in court and offer you legal assistance in a wide array of matters.

The organizational structure of the Dutch courts

The Netherlands’s judicial system is organized in the following way:

– District Courts: eleven courts, one for each district;

– Courts of Appeal: four areas of Court of Appeal for the eleven districts;

– Special Tribunals: there special tribunals functioning in three specific areas of administrative law;

– The Supreme Court: the highest court for civil, criminal and tax law in the Netherlands.

Most lawsuits in the Netherlands begin at a District Court which will hear disputes related to employment, rent and other civil law cases involving amounts of up to 25,000 euros. Minor criminal offences are also judged in these courts. The Courts of Appeal will deal with cases that have passed through a district court. The decision issued by the Court of Appeal can be contested through an appeal in cassation to the Supreme Court.

The three Special Tribunals in the Netherlands are: the Central Appeals Tribunal, the Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal and the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State.

Court proceedings in the Netherlands

Companies in the Netherlands that face commercial disputes can choose to take the case to court. If your Dutch company faces any employment, commercial or tax disputes our litigation lawyers in the Netherlands can help in civil disputes. We can also help you make an appeal to a higher court if you are no satisfied with the first judgment.

For any help in civil or commercial law matters and for assistance in solving various legal issues, you can contact our Dutch law firm.