Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 14. Disputes › Appeals and cassation in the Dominican Republic: one month to appeal, 20 working days to the Supreme Court

Appeals and cassation in the Dominican Republic: one month to appeal, 20 working days to the Supreme Court

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing

Appeals 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 does not suspend enforcement unless the chamber president orders it. A final decision can still go to the Tribunal Constitucional within 30 days in defined cases.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.8594 per US dollar for 28 October 2026, the latest row in its published rate file on the verification date, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Time to file cassation	20 working daysLey 2-23 art. 14, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Cassation money threshold	1499400 DOPLey 2-23 art. 11 num. 3, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Threshold in minimum wages	50 minimum wagesLey 2-23 art. 11 num. 3, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Constitutional review filing	30 daysLey 137-11 art. 54, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Rate used for USD conversions	60.8594 DOP per USDBanco Central reference selling rate, 28 October 2026, as of 2026-10-28 · in force

The rule

1. Appeal is due within one month from notice of the judgment, in civil and commercial matters alike, plus the art. 73 term for residents abroad.Código de Procedimiento Civil, art. 443 and art. 445, 1978-07-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Cassation always lies in these matters on final merits decisions: civil status and capacity, children, consumer rights, referimiento, annulment of arbitral awards, exequatur of foreign judgments and jurisdiction of courts.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 10 num. 1, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Other merits judgments need cassation interest: a ruling against Supreme Court doctrine, conflicting case law, or a norm without doctrine where the court sees value in creating it.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 10 num. 3, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: Ley 2-23 replaced Ley 3726 of 1953 from January 2023 and added cassation interest.

4. No cassation lies for purely money claims of up to 50 of the highest private sector minimum wages at filing. Only amounts in dispute count, without accessories. At RD$29,988 that is RD$1,499,400 (about US$24,637.11).Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 11 num. 3, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. The appeal is limited to breach or wrong application of a legal norm, and errors that do not affect the result do not count.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 12, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. The term is 20 working days from notice of the judgment, with distance added, and 10 working days in referimiento and foreclosure matters.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 14, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. The brief is filed at the Supreme Court registry and signed by a lawyer. The other side must be summoned within 5 working days of filing and has 10 working days to answer.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 16, art. 19 and art. 21, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Cassation does not suspend enforcement, save in listed family and title matters. The chamber president can suspend on request if the winner has not yet enforced and serious harm could result.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 27, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. The court should decide within 2 months in incidents, referimiento, foreclosure, labor, administrative and tax cases, and within 6 months in others, from the date the case is ready for decision.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 32, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

10. When it quashes on the merits, the court may decide the case directly on the established facts, rather than sending it back.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 38, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

11. A party filing an abusive appeal, with its lawyer, can be fined up to 10 such wages (RD$299,880 (about US$4,927.42)) and ordered to pay 10 to 50 wages in damages (RD$299,880 to RD$1,499,400).
Cost to do it: Exposure of up to RD$1,799,280 (about US$29,564.54) combined at the RD$29,988 tariff.Ley 2-23 sobre Recurso de Casación, art. 56, 2023-01-17 official text · verified 2026-10-30

12. Final decisions can reach the Tribunal Constitucional if they apply a norm held unconstitutional, breach its precedent, or breach a fundamental right. The filing is due within 30 days of notice.Ley 137-11 Orgánica del Tribunal Constitucional, art. 53 and art. 54, 2011-06-15 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Step	Term
Cassation brief	20 working days from notice
Summons to respondent	5 working days from filing
Defence brief	10 working days from summons
Decision, ordinary matter	6 months once ready
Decision, listed fast matters	2 months once ready

Cassation calendar under Ley 2-23

Worked example

A court of appeal orders payment of RD$1,200,000 (about US$19,717.58). That is under the RD$1,499,400 limit if RD$29,988 is the highest private tariff in force at filing, so the loser has no cassation route under art. 11 num. 3, except on the constitutional ground in art. 10 par. II.

Step by step

Serve the judgment to start time running.
Test the value limit and the cassation interest list.
File the brief at the registry.
Serve the summons within 5 working days.
Ask to suspend enforcement separately if needed.

Common traps

Check the highest private tariff on filing day: the limit moves with wage resolutions, and a sector tariff may exceed RD$29,988.
Ley 189-11 art. 167 gives 15 days for cassation of a foreclosure award, while Ley 2-23 art. 14 par. V says 10 working days under any regime. Use the shorter date.
Serving the judgment yourself starts time for you as well as your opponent, under art. 14 par. III.

Sources

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