Artikel 112: Competence of the judiciary; administrative jurisdiction
- The adjudication of disputes involving rights under civil law and debts shall be the responsibility of the judiciary.
- Responsibility for the adjudication of disputes which do not arise from matters of civil law may be granted by Act of Parliament either to the judiciary or to courts that do not form part of the judiciary. The method of dealing with such cases and the consequences of decisions shall be regulated by Act of Parliament.
Explanation
Please note: Only the Dutch-language version of the Constitution has legal effect.
If someone believes that another person has wronged them, they can ask the court for a ruling. There are various judicial institutions: district courts, courts of appeal, and the Supreme Court. Which court a person must approach and why is further elaborated in the Judicial Organization Act.
The legislature may determine that a citizen who has a disagreement with an administrative body, such as the municipality, must submit the matter to an authority other than the court. While these disputes are initially submitted to the administrative court of the district court, on appeal they are submitted to the Council of State or another body not belonging to the judicial branch.