Legal matters
Legal systems can be confusing. Here are the most important points to keep in mind about TopDutch law.
Legal system
The Dutch legal system has two different types of attorneys: notaries (notaris) and attorneys (advocaat).
The notary cannot go to court, and instead handles general civic matters and documents. For example, you would go to a notary if you wanted to gain a marriage certificate, a will, a power of attorney, exchange deeds to property or access help for setting up a business. As notaries are impartial by definition, they usually work for both parties involved in the legal matter. If it is a case of buying/selling, usually the buyer will choose the notary.
Attorneys do go to court, and work exclusively for one party. They will have their own specialisms, for example a criminal case will need a criminal lawyer, and a tax case will need a tax lawyer.
