Legal Matters

There are two kinds of attorneys in the Netherlands: notaris (notary) and advocaat (attorney).

Notaris (notary)

A notaris handles general civil matters and matters involving documentation, such as:

• marriage contract/registered partnership
• wills
• company or business founding documents
• issuance of Powers of Attorney
• deeds for real estate or property transactions

A notaris is not a litigator and does not appear in court. A notaris is an impartial entity who works for both interested parties. Because the notaris in the Netherlands can work for the vendor and buyer, the buyer usually chooses the notaris. There is also a notaris helpline which is available in English.

Advocaat (attorney)

The advocaat is a litigator and represents and assists only one party in a legal civil matter. They can also be considered an advisor/counselor who can go to court, communicate with all party representatives, and interact with superior legal entities. For criminal cases, a criminal lawyer is needed. You can find more detailed information on advocaten at De Rechtspraak.