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14. Disputes: Dominican Republic

Disputes in the Dominican Republic: how civil and commercial suits run, urgent relief, appeals and cassation under Ley 2-23, debt collection and foreclosure, arbitration under Ley 489-08 and the chamber courts of Ley 36-23, enforcing awards and foreign judgments, forum and governing law clauses, cross border service, investor claims under DR-CAFTA and investment treaties, claims against the State, amparo, insolvency under Ley 141-15, limitation periods, mediation, consumer claims and lease evictions, each tied to the official text. The country is a New York Convention party, signed but never ratified ICSID, and its 2001 investment treaty with Argentina is not in force; the Argentine side is covered in The Argentine Thread guide.

Investor view. A modern arbitration law, awards with direct force, New York Convention membership and DR-CAFTA investor protection give business a credible way to enforce contracts, and ratifying ICSID would be a clear low cost win for investor confidence.

• Disputes in the Dominican Republic: courts, arbitration, enforcement and investor claims at a glanceCommercial cases start in the civil and commercial chamber of a first instance court, go on appeal within one month, and reach the Supreme Court on cassation only within the limits of Ley 2-23. Arbitr
• Commercial litigation in the Dominican Republic: court levels, summons, default, costs and digital filingThere is one civil and commercial track: first instance chambers, courts of appeal and the Supreme Court, with a lawyer on record throughout. A suit starts with a bailiff summons at the defendant's do
• Urgent relief in the Dominican Republic: referimiento, conservatory attachments and astreintesThe president of the court can order urgent measures in a fast hearing called referimiento, which never decides the merits. A creditor whose claim looks justified and at risk can get a judge's permiss
• Appeals and cassation in the Dominican Republic: one month to appeal, 20 working days to the Supreme CourtAppeals are due within one month and reopen the facts. Cassation under Ley 2-23 of 2023 is limited: it lies only for legal error, is due in 20 working days, and excludes low value money claims. It doe
• Collecting debts in the Dominican Republic: titles, seizures, mortgage foreclosure and movable collateralOnly a court decision or a notarial first copy for a money debt is an enforceable title for seizure, so many creditors sign a notarial act at the start. Mortgage creditors can use the fast Ley 189-11
• Commercial arbitration in the Dominican Republic: Ley 489-08, chamber courts and the StateLey 489-08 covers arbitration seated in the country, domestic or international, with a written clause, default sole arbitrator and limited court role. Annulment is due in one month on closed grounds a
• Enforcing arbitral awards in the Dominican Republic: domestic awards, foreign awards and exequaturForeign awards go through exequatur before the civil and commercial chamber of the First Instance Court of the Distrito Nacional, in a non contentious procedure, with refusal limited to New York Conve
• Enforcing foreign judgments in the Dominican Republic: exequatur under Ley 544-14Foreign contentious judgments are recognised unless a listed ground applies: public order, defective service in default, a conflicting earlier decision, exclusive Dominican jurisdiction or lack of aut
• Forum and governing law clauses in the Dominican Republic: what Ley 544-14 allowsInternational contracts can choose a foreign court and law. The choice must be express or evident, a forum clause must be written, and Dominican courts then stay out unless the foreign court declines.
• Cross border service and evidence in the Dominican Republic: Hague Service since 2024, apostille, no Hague EvidenceThe Hague Service Convention has applied since 1 October 2024: requests go to the Foreign Ministry and are served by bailiff, in about 2 to 6 months, and postal service is refused. The Apostille Conve
• Investment arbitration and the Dominican Republic: DR-CAFTA, treaties and no ICSID ConventionThe Dominican Republic signed ICSID in 2000 and has not ratified it, so ICSID Convention arbitration is closed. DR-CAFTA claimants use the ICSID Additional Facility or UNCITRAL rules, after 90 days no
• Claims against the State in the Dominican Republic: 30 days to court, one year for damagesActs of public bodies are challenged before the Tribunal Contencioso Tributario y Administrativo within 30 days, or 10 days for de facto action. Administrative appeals are optional and do not usually
• Amparo and constitutional review in the Dominican Republic: fast rights protection for companies tooAmparo protects fundamental rights against any public or private act that is clearly arbitrary or illegal, and any person, including a company, can file it. It is due within 60 days of learning of the
• Insolvency in the Dominican Republic: Ley 141-15 restructuring, stay and creditor claimsLey 141-15 lets a debtor or a creditor owed at least 50 minimum wages open restructuring on triggers such as 90 days of default. The request itself stays suits, enforcement, arbitration and interest.
• Limitation periods in the Dominican Republic: from 60 days to 20 yearsThe general period is 20 years, but short rules swallow it: contractual civil liability is two years, tort one year, and quasi tort six months where no longer term is set. Commercial paper and commerc
• Conciliation and mediation in the Dominican Republic: chamber courts, settlements and what bindsMediation is voluntary in commercial disputes, usually at a chamber arbitration court under Ley 36-23. A written settlement has the force of a final judgment between the parties under the Código Civil
• Consumer claims in the Dominican Republic: Pro Consumidor conciliation, fines and limitsConsumers can take a dispute to Pro Consumidor for free conciliation: a hearing is called within days, and lawyers are optional. If that fails, the agency issues a reasoned decision and can bring an a
• Lease disputes and evictions in the Dominican Republic: Ley 85-25Ley 85-25 of 2025 replaced the old rent control regime. Housing disputes go to peace courts with a 10 day prior demand, and commercial leases go to first instance courts, or to arbitration if the leas

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