Netherlands · Courts
Court structure of Netherlands
Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.
The hierarchy, top to bottom
- Supreme — Hoge Raad der Nederlanden
- Cassation in civil, criminal and tax matters; reviews points of law only.
- Administrative — Council of State (Afdeling bestuursrechtspraak)
- Highest general administrative court, and adviser on draft legislation.
- Administrative — Centrale Raad van Beroep and College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven
- Final instance for social security and economic administrative law.
- Appellate — Gerechtshoven
- Four courts of appeal: Amsterdam, Arnhem-Leeuwarden, Den Haag and s-Hertogenbosch.
- First instance — Rechtbanken
- Eleven district courts, each with civil, criminal, administrative and kanton work.
- Local — Kantonrechter
- A single-judge role inside the district court for employment, tenancy and smaller civil claims; no lawyer required.
Every court in the hierarchy
- supremeThe HagueSupreme Court of the NetherlandsNational — points of law only
- supremeThe HagueCouncil of State (Administrative Jurisdiction Division)National — administrative law, including asylum, environment and planning
- appellateAmsterdam, Arnhem-Leeuwarden, The Hague and s-HertogenboschCourts of AppealRegional — four appeal jurisdictions
- first-instanceEleven districts nationwideDistrict CourtsRegional — eleven districts
- first-instanceWithin each district courtSubdistrict CourtEmployment, tenancy, consumer and civil claims up to EUR 25,000
- specialisedUtrecht and The HagueSpecialised High Administrative CourtsNational — social security and civil-service law; economic and trade regulation
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