Court Preparation Tool

Procedure guides

Filing a Small Claim with the Dutch Kantonrechter: Format Checklist

The page format the Dutch kantonrechter expects, how the bailiff and the court fee work, and the formal defects that hold a case up.

Netherlands

How it works

  1. Check that the amount is €25,000 or less, in which case the kantonrechter hears the case and no lawyer is required.
  2. Put the parties, the claim, its grounds and the arguments on which the claim rests into the dagvaarding, as article 111 Rv requires.
  3. Write the account of the facts as continuously numbered paragraphs, one event per paragraph, in date order.
  4. Set the page: A4 paper, 2.5 cm margins, 12 point type, 1.5 line spacing, paragraphs numbered from 1.
  5. Number the attachments from 1 with an index, hand the dagvaarding to a bailiff for service and pay the court fee on time.

Next

Do I need a lawyer at the kantonrechter?

No: representation by a lawyer is not compulsory before the kantonrechter. Above €25,000 the rechtbank hears the case and that representation is compulsory; this tool does not arrange a lawyer and does not replace that assistance.

Which language must the dagvaarding be in?

In principle Dutch. Another language may be used with the defendant's written consent or where the protected interest does not require Dutch; documents in English, German or French usually need no translation.

Who delivers the dagvaarding to the defendant?

A bailiff (deurwaarder) serves it. Without service by a bailiff the case is not heard.

Format requirements for this court

The kantonrechter hears claims of up to €25,000. Rijksoverheid: procederen zonder advocaat, kantonrechter en griffierecht
Representation by a lawyer is not compulsory before the kantonrechter; above €25,000 it is. Rijksoverheid: procederen zonder advocaat, kantonrechter en griffierecht
Article 111 Rv requires the dagvaarding to state the parties, the claim, its grounds and the arguments on which the claim rests. Wetboek van Burgerlijke Rechtsvordering, Boek I titel 10, art. 111 (inhoud dagvaarding), art. 32 (taal van de procedure) en art. 34 en 35 (indiening)
The language of the proceedings is in principle Dutch; another language may be used with the summoned party's written consent or where the protected interest does not require Dutch. Wetboek van Burgerlijke Rechtsvordering, Boek I titel 10, art. 111 (inhoud dagvaarding), art. 32 (taal van de procedure) en art. 34 en 35 (indiening)
Documents are set on A4 with 2.5 cm margins, 12 point type and 1.5 line spacing. Rechtspraak.nl: kantonrechter, formulieren en procederen zonder advocaat

Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.

Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.