Consumers can contact ACM for free information and advice. For example, you may have problems with a company. You can report your concerns to the consumer information portal ConsuWijzer. ConsuWijzer advises you on how to solve these problems. Based on these tips, you will know what your rights are and how to exercise them. If it turns out that the company in question has broken the law as a result of your complaint, we can intervene and take action. The costs that come with legal problems are a huge financial burden for many people in the Netherlands. Often, those who face legal proceedings or are about to be challenged can only bear some of the costs or no fees at all. Fortunately, if you are in this emergency situation, help may be available for you in Holland. Here are the steps to take: The cost, formal nature and complexity of litigation can often deter individuals and commercial enterprises from taking cases to court. This is certainly true if the cost is higher than any money that could be given.

Let us take the case of a consumer who has a dispute with a company for which there is no dispute resolution committee and wants to take his complaint to court. In order to facilitate the resolution of these cases within the judicial system, the government wishes to make procedures for simple disputes between members of the public and/or organizations (i.e. civil disputes) faster and less complicated. Your employer, landlord, educational institution or transport company If you have a low income, you may be entitled to subsidised legal aid (in Dutch). The Dutch authorities will cover part of your legal costs. Court fees are not included. However, you can ask the court to reduce your legal costs. You are not eligible for subsidized legal aid if the dispute is related to your business.

In civil cases, points of law may be appealed to the Supreme Court (“Hoge Raad”), the highest court in the Netherlands. After that, only the European Court of Justice can annul Dutch judgments. Emergency procedures are applied to legal matters that need to be resolved quickly. That is, the usual lengthy court proceedings are “combined” to save time: this can seem very expensive and unreasonable. However, mediation may still be the best option: judgments in the sub-district sector of the court may be appealed to the Court of Appeal. An appeal is only possible if the claim exceeds €1,750. An appeal may be lodged within 3 months of the delivery of the decision. A decision of the District Court in the European Small Claims Procedure may be appealed.

There is no special case in a sub-district court. In principle, the rules on the summons procedure apply to both the district court and the sub-district area. An important difference is that in cases brought before the district court, the parties have the right to represent their own case, while in other cases (before the district court) the parties must be represented by a lawyer. See point 1.4. In addition, cases in the sub-district area are dealt with by a single-judge panel, i.e. a judge sitting alone. If your income is high or you have sufficient financial resources, you may not be eligible for publicly funded legal aid. In this case: Below you will find general information about how the Dutch court system works and what you can expect in general when asserting or defending claims in the Dutch courts. You should also consider the cost of translating forms.

In addition, you must advance the costs of the enforcement procedure. These are the costs incurred to claim the compensation awarded to the seller. The bailiff recovers these costs from the seller. If successful, your prepayment will be refunded. As we have already said, there is no “flat rate” for legal services in Holland. The amount your lawyer will charge you depends on: Legal representation is not mandatory in administrative or planning matters. Submit these documents with claim form A to the competent court. It is not always possible to file the application with the court of your own place of residence. Sometimes you have to send it to a court in the seller`s country.

We can help you find a licensed court. Local councillors work for Dutch municipalities and can answer questions on legal issues related to: The OM can impose a number of sanctions. Examples: The Dutch legal system is not based on juries, but on professional judges. Most cases are heard by a single judge and more complex cases by three judges. All appeals are heard by at least three judges. The Dutch legal system does not allow dissenting opinions. The secrecy of the court`s deliberations is absolute. In Dutch, municipal councils are called “Sociaal Raadslieden”. They can provide you with further legal advice and assistance: in addition to these courts, there are a number of other judicial authorities in the Netherlands.

The Central Court of Appeal for the Civil Service and Social Security hears appeals in civil servants and social security cases.