Received a prosecution penalty order?
A Dutch prosecution penalty order is a criminal decision issued by the Public Prosecution Service, without a court hearing beforehand.
Duration: 1:15
Further reading and sources
This video summarizes the main points. The full article provides more detail, exceptions and official sources. The information concerns adult suspects and does not replace advice about your case.
Read the full articleSpoken transcript
Download the transcriptCriminal Law in the Netherlands.
A Dutch prosecution penalty order is a criminal decision issued by the Public Prosecution Service, without a court hearing beforehand.
Check the type of decision, the alleged offence and the penalty. Keep the full letter and its envelope for later reference.
If you want to object, do not pay until the objection has been dealt with. Discuss any earlier payment with your lawyer.
The legal remedy against a penalty order is an objection. Have someone establish immediately which deadline applies to your particular situation.
Following an objection, the prosecutor may withdraw or amend the order. The court may assess the case again; a better result is not guaranteed.
A penalty order may be recorded in judicial documentation. That does not automatically mean a later Dutch certificate of conduct will be refused.
Read the full explanation on the Criminal Law in the Netherlands website.
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