European e-Justice Portal

How can I claim damages or other means of redress/satisfaction from an offender in a trial (criminal proceedings), and who should I address this claim to?

Compensation can be claimed during the criminal proceedings.

At which point in the criminal proceedings should I present a claim?

Information and advice on this matter can be obtained from Victim Support Netherlands (Slachtofferhulp Nederland).

What can I ask for in the claim and how should I present it (indicate a total amount and/or specify the individual losses, lost profits and interest)?

Information and advice on this matter can be obtained from Victim Support Netherlands.

Is there a specific form for such claims?

Information and advice on this matter can be obtained from Victim Support Netherlands.

What evidence do I need to present to support my claim?

Information and advice on this matter can be obtained from Victim Support Netherlands.

Are there court fees or other costs linked to my claim?

Information and advice on this matter can be obtained from Victim Support Netherlands.

Can I get legal aid before and/or during the proceedings? Can I get it if I'm not living in the country where the proceedings take place?

Information and advice on this matter can be obtained from Victim Support Netherlands.

When would the criminal court dismiss or refuse to adjudicate on my claim against the offender?

Information and advice on this matter can be obtained from Victim Support Netherlands.

Can I appeal against such a decision or seek other means of redress/satisfaction?

Yes.

If I am awarded damages by the court, how do I ensure the judgment is enforced against the offender and what help can I get to ensure this?

Since 2011, victims of a violent or sex crime and surviving relatives have been able to get an advance on the compensation in certain cases. Such an advance has also been available to victims of other crimes since 1 January 2016. Have you been the victim of a violent or sex crime? If so, you can receive the full amount of your compensation as an advance.

Have you been the victim of another type of crime? In that case you can receive no more than €5 000.00 as an advance. You can find out more about this at https://www.cjib.nl/en.

Last update: 18/03/2019

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Claiming damages from the offender

How can I claim damages or other means of redress/satisfaction from an offender in a trial (criminal proceedings), and who should I address this claim to?

At which point in the criminal proceedings should I present a claim?

What can I ask for in the claim and how should I present it (indicate a total amount and/or specify the individual losses, lost profits and interest)?

Is there a specific form for such claims?

What evidence do I need to present to support my claim?

Are there court fees or other costs linked to my claim?

Can I get legal aid before and/or during the proceedings? Can I get it if I'm not living in the country where the proceedings take place?

When would the criminal court dismiss or refuse to adjudicate on my claim against the offender?

Can I appeal against such a decision or seek other means of redress/satisfaction?

If I am awarded damages by the court, how do I ensure the judgment is enforced against the offender and what help can I get to ensure this?