Lawyer Dilbeek: competent courts, traffic and family cases

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Lawyer Dilbeek: competent courts, traffic and family cases

Are you looking for a lawyer for Dilbeek or one of its districts, such as Groot-Bijgaarden, Itterbeek or Schepdaal? Novex Advocaten assists clients from Dilbeek and the rest of Halle-Vilvoorde from our office on Avenue Louise (Louizalaan) in Brussels, in Dutch, French, English and Arabic. Because Dilbeek lies in Flemish Brabant but belongs to the Brussels judicial area, it is not always clear which court has jurisdiction. This article sets out the courts involved and explains how we can help you, particularly in traffic cases, family matters and tenancy disputes.

Lawyer for Dilbeek: which courts have jurisdiction?

Dilbeek belongs to the judicial district of Brussels, which also covers Halle-Vilvoorde. For residents of Dilbeek, the following courts are the most relevant:

the justice of the peace for the canton of Lennik (vredegerecht / justice de paix): Dilbeek forms a single judicial canton with Bever, Pajottegem, Lennik, Liedekerke and Roosdaal, with its seat in Lennik. The justice of the peace hears, among other things, tenancy disputes, disputes between neighbours and money claims up to 5,000 euros;
the police court (politierechtbank / tribunal de police): Halle-Vilvoorde has police courts in Halle and in Vilvoorde. They deal with traffic offences and compensation claims following road accidents. Which police court hears your case generally depends on the place where the events occurred. If the events took place in Brussels, your case will go to the Brussels police court;
the Dutch-language court of first instance of Brussels: including the family court and the criminal court, with jurisdiction over Halle-Vilvoorde;
the Dutch-language enterprise court and labour court of Brussels: for disputes between businesses, bankruptcies and employment disputes.

In which language will your case be heard?

Dilbeek is located in the Dutch-language region. Before the courts in Halle-Vilvoorde and the Dutch-language courts of Brussels, proceedings are therefore generally conducted in Dutch.

If your command of Dutch is insufficient, you may in certain cases ask for your case to be dealt with in French, under the Act of 15 June 1935 on the use of languages in judicial matters. In criminal cases, you are in any event entitled to an interpreter if you do not understand the language of the proceedings. We plead in both languages and will assess with you whether a change of language makes sense. Read more about changing the language of proceedings before the police court.

Traffic cases before the police court

If you have been summoned to appear before the police court, we request the criminal file and check the findings: the calibration and type approval of the measuring device, the conduct of the breath test or saliva test, and whether your rights were respected. In most cases you do not need to appear in person: we can represent you.

We also assist you after a road accident, whether as the defendant or as the victim; read more about compensation for victims. You can also read more about receiving a summons to the police court, about avoiding a driving ban and about appearing in person before the police court.

Offences from 1 September 2026: penalty levels

Since 1 September 2026, the penalty levels of the new Criminal Code apply to new offences. Most traffic offences fall under level 1, which carries no prison sentence. Driving without a licence, driving during a driving ban and a repeat offence of driving under the influence within three years fall under level 2, for which a prison sentence of six months to three years is also possible. Some examples of the actual fines payable, including the statutory surcharges (opdeciemen / décimes additionnels):

speeding (level 1): 100 to 5,000 euros;
alcohol intoxication from 0.35 mg/l of exhaled alveolar air (level 1): 2,000 to 20,000 euros;
driving without a licence (level 2): 2,000 to 20,000 euros;
repeat driving under the influence within three years (level 2): 4,000 to 50,000 euros.

In addition to the fine, the court may impose a driving ban (verval van het recht tot sturen / déchéance du droit de conduire), reinstatement tests (herstelexamens / examens de réintégration) and, from 1.8 grams of alcohol per litre of blood (0.78 mg/l of exhaled air), in principle an alcohol interlock. Suspension of the pronouncement of sentence (opschorting van de uitspraak / suspension du prononcé), a suspended sentence (uitstel / sursis) and community service also remain possible; for community service, you can give your consent in person or through your lawyer. Read more about the new Criminal Code in traffic cases and about suspension, suspended sentences and community service.

Offences committed before 1 September 2026

For offences committed before 1 September 2026, the former penalties of the Road Traffic Act (Wegverkeerswet / loi relative à la police de la circulation routière) continue to apply, and some of them still include a prison sentence. If the new rules are more lenient, the more lenient penalty applies (Art. 2 of the Criminal Code). We compare both regimes for your case.

Family matters before the family court

For divorce, parental authority, the children’s residence arrangements and child maintenance, the family court of the Dutch-language court of first instance of Brussels generally has jurisdiction for residents of Dilbeek. For claims concerning minor children, the competent court is that of the child’s place of residence (Art. 629bis of the Judicial Code). Read more about separation, parental authority and residence arrangements.

After a separation, both parents in principle continue to exercise parental authority jointly (Art. 374 of the former Civil Code). If the parents cannot agree on the children’s residence, the court will, at the request of at least one parent, examine as a priority the possibility of equally shared residence, always in the best interests of the child. Children aged twelve and over are informed by means of an information form of their right to be heard by the judge; younger children can ask to be heard themselves.

There is no legally binding calculation method for child maintenance; the court takes into account, among other things, the means of both parents and the residence arrangements (Art. 1321 of the Judicial Code). In urgent cases, interim arrangements can be requested quickly. Read more about child maintenance and about urgent measures before the family court.

Tenancy disputes and Flemish tenancy law in Dilbeek

For a rented home in Dilbeek, leases concluded from 1 January 2019 are governed by the Flemish Residential Tenancy Decree (Vlaams Woninghuurdecreet), whose rules differ on important points from those in Brussels. For these leases, the rental deposit is capped at three months’ rent, whatever its form. Read more about the rental deposit in Flanders and Brussels.

Under a nine-year lease, the tenant may give notice at any time, subject to a notice period of three months. If the lease ends during the first three years, compensation of three, two or one month’s rent is due. Unlike Brussels, Flanders has no statutory winter moratorium on evictions for private rental housing.

For all such disputes concerning a home in Dilbeek, the justice of the peace for the canton of Lennik has jurisdiction. We also assist clients from Dilbeek in criminal cases, debt recovery and business matters. Read more about tenancy disputes before the justice of the peace.

How does your lawyer for Dilbeek work?

You contact us by phone or email and briefly explain your situation. We immediately give you an initial assessment of the approach and the costs, and agree clear terms on our fees. We check whether legal expenses insurance covers your costs; in traffic cases this is often the case through your car insurance. A meeting can take place at our office, by phone or by video call.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to go to Halle or Vilvoorde for my traffic case?

If the events took place in Dilbeek, this is as a rule the police court of Halle, which has jurisdiction over the canton of Lennik, to which Dilbeek belongs. The competent police court is stated on your summons. In most cases we can represent you, so you do not need to travel.

Which justice of the peace handles a tenancy dispute in Dilbeek?

For a home in Dilbeek, it is the justice of the peace for the canton of Lennik. The justice of the peace hears tenancy disputes regardless of the amount claimed.

Does my legal expenses insurance also cover a lawyer in Brussels?

As a rule, yes. In court proceedings and in the event of a conflict of interest, you are free to choose your own lawyer. We contact your insurer and check which costs are covered. Read more about legal expenses insurance.