Netherlands: Civil Law

The Dutch and American legal systems differ fundamentally in their approach to evidence gathering, with the United States employing an extensive pre-trial discovery process designed to ensure maximum transparency, while the Netherlands relies on a more limited system centered on parties' duty of truthfulness. This comparative analysis explores how these contrasting procedural frameworks shape litigation strategy, witness examination, and the overall conduct of civil proceedings in cross-border disputes.

Erfgenamen en legatarissen raken steeds vaker verwikkeld in geschillen over de betekenis van testamentbepalingen. De Nederlandse rechtspraak heeft de regels voor testamentuitleg ingrijpend verruimd, waardoor zelfs ogenschijnlijk heldere testamenten onderwerp van discussie kunnen worden. Deze ontwikkeling maakt het cruciaal om te begrijpen wanneer en hoe een testament kan worden uitgelegd.

On 1 January 2024, the Quality Assurance (Building Sector) Act (Wet kwaliteitsborging voor het bouwen) (QAA) came into force.

Dulijon and Sander argue in this article that a creditor's statutory duty to complain about defective performance should not apply to claims by a company/trustee against a director based on section 2:9 Civil Code.

As of 10 January 2015, a judgment of a court in another EU member state may be enforced without a Dutch court having to grant leave.

A recently adopted amendment to the Code of Civil Procedure will allow courts of appeal to refer all cantonal court matters, where appropriate, to a panel consisting of only one judge.