The police court judge (politierechter) hears criminal cases as a single-judge criminal division of the district court and can impose a maximum prison sentence of one year. Do you have to appear before the police court judge? Keep the complete documents and write down the next deadline. Below you can read which legal questions, documents and next steps deserve attention. The assessment of your own situation depends on the specific facts and the applicable legal framework.
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What does a hearing before the police court judge mean legally?
The police court judge hears criminal cases in which the public prosecutor usually considers a prison sentence of no more than one year appropriate. The case is usually heard by a single judge.
The legal starting point is the Dutch Code of Criminal Procedure. The precise charge matters, because one everyday description can cover several statutory variants. Your lawyer therefore compares the wording of the suspicion with the case file and checks whether each element can be supported by lawful and convincing evidence.
The hearing is not an informal conversation. What you say becomes part of the proceedings. Good preparation distinguishes between a defence on the evidence, a legal defence and circumstances relevant to sentencing.
What does the Public Prosecution Service have to prove?
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) must substantiate the criminal offences charged. For a conviction, the court must find the charges proven on the basis of lawful means of evidence and the required conviction. Personal circumstances and requests for further investigation are not in themselves elements of the criminal offence.
The defence examines what each item of evidence actually proves and whether relevant context is missing. An official police report may contain the officer’s own observations, statements by others and conclusions. Those parts must be carefully kept apart.
Distinguish between evidence, legal classification and any sentence. Your lawyer can prepare several positions side by side, so that contesting the charge does not come at the expense of discussing the personal consequences.
What rights do you have during a police interview?
As a suspect, you have the right to remain silent and the right to consult a lawyer. If you are invited without being arrested, ask in advance in what capacity you will be interviewed and which offence the suspicion concerns. The police do not always provide the full case file straight away.
Remaining silent is not an automatic strategy for every case. Sometimes an early, verifiable explanation can prevent an incorrect picture from persisting. In other cases, an unprepared statement actually brings risks. Make that choice after discussing the known facts, possible lines of investigation and documents that may support your explanation.
Read the official record of the interview carefully. Ask for a correction if your words have been recorded incorrectly or too emphatically. Do not sign in a hurry. If you have difficulty with the Dutch language, discuss the use of a sworn interpreter in good time.
What evidence should you secure?
In any event, keep the summons, the case file, your own timeline, documentary evidence, employment and care details and documents relating to damage or its repair. Keep the original files available and make a working copy for your lawyer. Screenshots can be useful, but they often do not show the full conversation, the source or the metadata.
Draw up a timeline with dates, people and events. Separate what you observed yourself from what others told you. Note down possible witnesses with a brief explanation of what they themselves observed. Do not approach them to align statements.
Do not delete or alter any data. Even information that seems unfavourable at first sight may be needed to understand the context. Report possible camera footage or other temporarily available sources quickly, so that your lawyer can assess whether securing that material or further investigation is needed.
Who does what during the hearing?
The police court judge is a judge, not a member of the police. The public prosecutor represents the Public Prosecution Service and explains the charge and the sentence demanded. The judge takes the decision. Your lawyer defends your interests and the court clerk records the proceedings. That distinction helps you keep questions, positions and decisions apart during the hearing.
A sentence demanded by the OM is therefore not yet a judgment. Listen to which facts the prosecutor considers proven and which circumstances are taken into account in the demand. Your lawyer will be given the opportunity to respond. Discuss in advance whether you want to explain something yourself during the hearing and when that is best done, without interrupting the proceedings.
The police court judge hears criminal cases that are suitable for a single judge. The maximum power to impose one year’s imprisonment is not the same as a prediction of the sentence in your case. The judge may also decide that a case should be dealt with differently or requires further investigation. A short scheduled hearing therefore does not mean that the outcome is settled.
Turning the summons into a workable overview
Read the charge offence by offence. Note the date or period stated, the place, the conduct and any form of participation. Check whether an alternative charge has been included. If you only read the first part, you may miss a subsidiary charge that the court can also assess.
Before meeting your lawyer, make three lists: what you believe is factually incorrect, which evidence is missing or raises questions, and which personal circumstances are relevant. Keep those lists separate. A difficult home situation may be important for sentencing, but it does not automatically refute camera footage. A defence on the evidence requires different substantiation from a request to take account of work or care responsibilities.
Submit documents in good time and state what each document shows. A large folder without explanation costs preparation time and may conceal important information. If you receive new information shortly before the hearing, report it immediately. Your lawyer can assess how that information should be submitted and whether there is sufficient opportunity to respond to it.
Appearing, adjournment and representation
Check carefully whether you are required to appear and what instructions the summons contains. Even when personal attendance is not compulsory, it may matter for your defence. So make that choice deliberately. Do not assume that the hearing will automatically be moved if you are ill, have to work or have no transport.
A request for adjournment has to be assessed. Keep evidence of the reason and report any inability to attend as early as possible. As long as an adjournment has not been confirmed, you must assume the hearing will go ahead. Ask your lawyer what is needed in the meantime and how you can remain reachable for a decision.
If a lawyer appears without you, it must be checked which authorisation and options for representation apply. Your instructions and preparation are still needed in that case. Make sure the lawyer knows which facts you dispute, which documents exist and which personal circumstances you want to put forward. An agreement on representation is not general permission to take every decision without consultation.
Compensation claim and personal circumstances
An injured party may submit a compensation claim. Ask for the available substantiation before the hearing. Check which items are claimed, what link with the offence charged is alleged and which amounts have already been paid. Respond to the individual items, even if you dispute the charge itself. Your lawyer can set out those positions legally side by side.
Work, income, debts, caring responsibilities or treatment may be relevant as personal circumstances. Only submit documents that genuinely clarify something. A statement from your employer can, for example, explain what consequences a driving ban or absence would have. It is no guarantee that the court will refrain from imposing a particular sentence.
Use your right to have the last word for anything you still want to say yourself. Discuss in advance how you can speak clearly and respectfully without adding new, ill-considered statements. There is no need to learn a standard text by heart. What matters more is that your response fits your actual situation and the chosen defence.
After the judgment: record immediately what was decided
The police court judge often gives judgment orally straight away. Note not only the sentence, but also conditions, decisions on seized items and damages, and any information about a legal remedy. Ask for an explanation if you do not understand part of it. The oral hearing can contain a lot of information in a short time.
Discuss an appeal with your lawyer immediately. The time limit and when it starts depend on the procedure and the circumstances; do not wait for a detailed written version first. Record who will take which step and how you will receive confirmation. A message saying that you “still want to think about it” is not the same as an appeal that has actually been lodged.
A practical plan for the day of the hearing
Check the court, location, time and case number on the summons. Allow for security checks at the entrance and agree where you will meet your lawyer. Bring an identity document and the agreed documents. Write down your most important questions, so that nerves do not cause an essential topic to go undiscussed.
Let us know in good time if language, hearing, health or another circumstance makes participation difficult. Ask what facilities are available and who will request them. Do not assume that a family member can act as interpreter without further arrangements. Good preparation also means being able to follow questions and decisions, so that you understand what you are choosing.
Agree in advance how you will ask for a brief consultation during the hearing if an unexpected question or a new document comes up. You do not have to hide any uncertainty. An accurate answer is more important than a quick one. Keep your own notes separate from documents formally submitted to the court.
More information about the summons can be found under receiving a summons. If a missing statement is relevant, discuss the route for examining witnesses well before the hearing. Afterwards, ask for a short overview of the decision, the next steps and who does what. This prevents an oral explanation from being misremembered or everyone assuming that someone else will lodge an urgent legal remedy.
What steps can you take now?
Work in a fixed order, so that time limits and evidence are not lost.
1. Keep the letter, summons or punishment order and note every date. 2. Request the case file or the available details of the suspicion through your lawyer. 3. Collect original data and draw up a factual timeline. 4. Discuss your approach to the proceedings before the interview. 5. After each decision, check the correct legal remedy and the time limit. 6. Coordinate parallel procedures with your employer, bank, municipality or CBR.
A request for contact with a lawyer does not in itself safeguard any time limit. A short statutory time limit may apply to a punishment order, judgment or measure. So send the complete decision and state when you received it.
Contact us for an assessment of the next step.
What outcomes are possible?
An investigation may end in a dismissal (the Public Prosecution Service drops the case), a punishment order, a summons or another decision by the OM. Before the court, possible outcomes include acquittal, discharge from further prosecution and conviction. Which route fits depends on the evidence, the legal classification and the circumstances.
A statutory maximum penalty does not predict the actual sentence. The court looks at the proven offence, its seriousness, the consequences, personal circumstances and relevant records. Compensation, attachment (seizure), a contact condition or a measure may also be at issue.
Do not automatically accept or pay a punishment order if you want to contest the finding of guilt. Have the consequences and the time limit for lodging an objection checked immediately. Even a relatively limited disposal may matter for your criminal record and a later assessment for a certificate of conduct (VOG).
What mistakes are often made?
Many suspects immediately try to explain everything by telephone without knowing the case file. A second mistake is deleting relevant messages out of shame or fear. Contacting a complainant or witness yourself may also be misinterpreted or breach a prohibition.
Other risks are: keeping only a few screenshots, letting a time limit pass because the letter is unclear, treating a punishment order as an ordinary fine and withholding information from your own lawyer. A defence becomes stronger with complete, verifiable information.
Do not publish a detailed response on social media. A public defence rarely takes account of rules of evidence, privacy and the still unknown content of the case file. Discuss consequences for your reputation or work through a separate, coordinated route.
How does Arslan Advocaten handle this type of case?
Arslan Advocaten handles criminal cases from the interview stage up to and including the hearing and any legal remedy. The lawyer starts with the procedural documents, time limits and the next decision point. Evidence, legal classification and personal consequences are then assessed separately.
In practice, bottlenecks often arise because a client is involved in several procedures at the same time. Think of a blocked bank account, a dismissal issue, a closure order or a VOG problem alongside the criminal case. We first map out those lines, so that a response in one file does not unintentionally harm your position in another.
Frequently asked questions about a hearing before the police court judge
Is the police court judge part of the police?
No. The police court judge is an independent judge of the district court. The OM prosecutes and may demand a sentence; the judge decides. The name refers to a type of criminal court judge and does not turn the hearing into an informal conversation with the police.
Will I always get a judgment straight away?
The police court judge often gives judgment orally straight away, but not every case follows the same course. Further investigation, adjournment or a different form of hearing may be necessary. After the hearing, ask what the next step is and when a decision is expected.
Do I have to attend in person?
Check the summons and discuss your situation with your lawyer. An obligation to appear may apply, while attendance may also be important even without an obligation. Being unable to attend does not automatically move the hearing. Wait for a decision on a request for adjournment.
Is the prosecutor’s demand the sentence I will receive?
No. The demand is the position of the OM. The defence can respond to it and the judge takes an independent decision within the applicable legal framework. Discuss both defences on the evidence and circumstances relevant to any sentence.
Can I bring new documents to the hearing?
Report new documents to your lawyer as early as possible. Their relevance, the way they are submitted and the opportunity for other parties to respond must be assessed. Do not assume that a large folder produced only on the day of the hearing can be dealt with in full.
Can I wait for the written judgment before lodging an appeal?
That is risky. A time limit for appeal may already be running. Have it checked immediately after the judgment which time limit applies and when it starts. Agree clearly who will lodge the legal remedy and make sure you receive confirmation that the step has actually been taken.
Having your case assessed
Have you received a summons to an interview, a punishment order or a court summons? You can request an assessment via the contact form. State the next date and only share sensitive documents via the agreed secure route.
When is a prompt legal assessment advisable?
For a hearing before the police court judge, the next step must be tailored to the specific procedure. Therefore have the available documents, the time limit and the purpose of a response assessed together. A lawyer can determine which information is missing, whether further investigation is needed and which authority decides on your question. This makes clear what you can gather yourself and which formal step must be taken in time.
Prompt assistance is especially advisable when an interview, punishment order, summons, seizure or measure has already been announced. Note the date of receipt, keep envelopes and digital messages and send the complete decision. Also discuss consequences for your work, licence, residence status, insurance, banking relationship or VOG. These side effects sometimes require a separate response with its own time limit. A specific assessment always depends on the case file; general information does not replace personal legal advice.
Sources
- Dutch Criminal Code (Wetboek van Strafrecht)
- Dutch Code of Criminal Procedure (Wetboek van Strafvordering)
- The Dutch judiciary on criminal law
- The Dutch judiciary, types of criminal court judges
- The Dutch judiciary, course of criminal proceedings
Editorial team and responsible lawyer
Editorial team: Arslan Advocaten. Responsible lawyer for criminal law: Melanie Schulpen.
Last editorially updated: 22 September 2026. This general information does not replace an assessment of your own case file.
