Procedures
French-derived Código de Procedimiento Civil with cassation review
Civil procedure follows the nineteenth-century Código de Procedimiento Civil of French origin, written and formal in character, with proceedings begun by acto de alguacil served by a court bailiff. Appeals go to the Corte de Apelación on fact and law, and then to the Suprema Corte de Justicia by recurso de casación, which examines only questions of law. Ley 108-05 gives land disputes their own specialised track.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Juzgados de Paz, Primera Instancia, Cortes de Apelación, Suprema Corte
- Deadline — Appeal to the Corte de Apelación: one month from notification of the judgment
- Deadline — Recurso de casación: 30 days from notification of the judgment appealed
- Deadline — Ordinary limitation for personal actions: 20 years, with shorter periods for specific claims
Governing law
- Código de Procedimiento Civil
- Ley 834 de 1978 and Ley 845 de 1978procedural reforms
- Ley 3726 sobre Procedimiento de Casación
- Ley 489-08commercial arbitration
In practice
Service through an alguacil is a formal requirement rather than an administrative one, and defects in the acto are a routine and effective ground of attack, so the mechanics of service deserve as much attention as the substance of the claim. The very long 20-year residual limitation period contrasts sharply with the short appeal windows, so the risk in Dominican civil litigation lies in the procedural calendar rather than in becoming time-barred.