The Riga Arbitration Court has operated since 1999. Over a quarter of a century it has become one of the most sought-after alternative dispute resolution institutions in Latvia.
Results in numbers
25 years in Latvian business practice
The court was founded in 1999. By 2005 more than 3,500 companies had already included the Riga Arbitration Court clause in their contracts — choosing it as their dispute resolution forum before any dispute had arisen.
Continuous growth
The number of cases filed grows every year. In the last reporting period the increase was 29.5% — evidence that businesses choose arbitration deliberately rather than as a fallback option.
98% of cases — writ of execution without refusal
In 98% of all cases heard, the state court issued the writ of execution without objections. This is a direct measure of the quality of the awards made: they meet the requirements of the law and withstand review by the state court system.
An expanding panel of arbitrators
The court has more than 57 arbitrators across different specialisations. The list is open and continuously expanded.
The Riga Arbitration Court deliberately attracts specialists from abroad — lawyers and practitioners from various countries with experience in international commercial law, cross-border transactions and industry disputes. This makes it possible to compose the tribunal for the particular case: the parties choose an arbitrator who understands their specific field, rather than one appointed on formal grounds.
Attracting foreign specialists is part of the court’s strategy of developing as a forum for cross-border disputes. Where one of the parties is based outside Latvia, having arbitrators with international experience on the tribunal lowers barriers and increases confidence in the process on both sides.
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence
The Riga Arbitration Court consistently introduces modern technology into court administration and its work with the participants in the proceedings.
CRM — a record of interaction with the parties
All communication with claimants, respondents and arbitrators is recorded and tracked in a single system. This rules out loss of information and ensures that every case is handled on time at every stage.
Client portal portal.court.lv
An online environment for the participants in the proceedings. The portal provides:
- filing of the statement of claim and documents without visiting the court;
- access to the case file in real time;
- oversight of procedural stages and deadlines;
- prompt updates to the parties on the progress of the case;
- issuing and receiving the invoice for hearing the dispute.
AI assistant on the court’s website
An automated assistant that answers questions about arbitration proceedings, the rules and the costs at any time of day or night. The first answer comes with no waiting and without contacting the registry.
An AI-based court website
court.lv operates as an intelligent information environment: structured access to publications, news, calculation tools and document templates, tailored to what businesses and lawyers actually look for.
Introducing technology is not an end in itself but a tool. Every decision on digitalisation serves one purpose: so that the parties spend less time on procedure and more on their business.
Support and presence
Free support for businesses
Alongside hearing disputes, the Riga Arbitration Court provides free of charge:
- legal consultations;
- templates of standard documents — statements of claim, contracts, applications;
- review and correction of contracts;
- webinars and publications on current legal matters.
An information environment for business
The Riga Arbitration Court regularly publishes news and materials on changes in legislation, debt recovery practice and the business environment in Latvia. The court’s newsletter reaches more than 15,000 subscribers — entrepreneurs, lawyers and company directors.
Client feedback
Companies that have been through proceedings at the Riga Arbitration Court regularly share their feedback. Feedback is available on the court’s website.