Claim from the contract

Claims from contracts can take many forms. It can be a simple enforcement of a contractual obligation — a claim, but it is often a combination of several decisive issues. Was there a breach of the contract that established the right to terminate it? What performance do the parties owe under the terminated contract? Has one of the parties suffered damage as a result of the failure to fulfil the contractual obligation of the other party? Is this damage covered by the agreed contractual penalty?

From this cross-sectional enumeration alone, it is clear that the key is the correct legal qualification of the whole situation in the context of the contractual relationship, already at the moment when the first problems between the parties are resolved. Many years of experience with various reasons or circumstances of disputes point out that it is not advisable to rely on the good relations of the parties at the time of signing, oral agreement or promise. The best prevention of litigation is a clearly written contract, from which the rights and obligations of the parties are clearly based, and which follows their ideas as far as possible. However, no prevention will guarantee that a dispute will not occur.

Due to the variety of contractual relations, it is difficult to present a comprehensive interpretation, so we mention some of the institutes that we encounter in the context of contract disputes:

The conclusion of the contract is preceded by the so-called negociation, or negotiation of its content. Here it is important to pay attention to the binding nature of the offer or, for example, the pre-contractual liability, which the party may establish the right to compensation in the event that the counterparty ultimately does not conclude a contract with it.

In the event that a Contracting Party fails to fulfil its obligations or deviates from the agreed method of performance, it shall: contractual penaltywhich may constitute a so-called lump-sum compensation. However, the court has the power to reduce the amount of the contractual penalty in the context of a particular claim. In addition, it can also be arranged interest on arrearswhich, in the event of a futile expiration of the period, forms an accessory of the monetary claim. If the parties do not agree on the interest on default or exclude it, the pecuniary claim will be paid by the so-called statutory interest on default, which is equal to the REPO rate set by the Czech National Bank, increased by 8 percentage points.

Contracting parties in certain circumstances are subject to the law right to withdraw from the contract. In this case, the contract is treated as if it never came into existence and it is therefore necessary to return any performance of the parties, otherwise it would be an unjust enrichment. The contractual relationship can also be terminated Termination of the contract for agreed reasons.

A so-called arbitration clause can also be negotiated, on the basis of which a certain arbitration court will settle disputes from a given contract, which has an advantage especially in the speed of dispute resolution.

časté otázky

Co je dobré vědět o této oblasti?

What is an illegal decision of the authority?

The right to compensation for damage caused by an unlawful decision has the parties (including omissions) in which a decision was issued, as a result of which they suffered property or non-property damage. However, it is not enough just to disagree with the decision or to seek its annulment or to declare it incorrect at the next instance. Compensation can only be claimed if the decision has been annulled or changed for illegality after it has become legal (or if the decision is non-final but enforceable).

What is maladministration?

The definition of “maladministration” is quite broad, but in general it can be described as a violation of binding rules prescribed by legal norms for the conduct of a public authority in its activities, to which it is obliged and authorized on the basis of generally binding legislation. However, in the case of maladministration, this is not an illegal decision, but the procedure of the authority, which was subsequently reflected in its decision. It is often an unreasonable length of proceedings, where, although the decision given is legal in itself, the time until it is issued is contrary to procedural rules or reasonableness and the parties are therefore entitled to compensation for delays in the proceedings.

It is important not to miss the deadline for filing a lawsuit

Any claim or right must be exercised in a timely manner, that is, before the expiration of the limitation period and sometimes even a significantly shorter limitation period. While ordinary civil claims (for performance or damages) usually expire after 3 years, in a number of cases (administrative actions, actions for annulment in employment, rental or corporate matters) these are units of months! In any case, the sooner you seek out a professional, the more chances there will be to exercise the right properly and in a timely manner.

Do I need to be represented by a lawyer in the proceedings?

In general, it is not necessary to be represented by a lawyer in the proceedings before the court. Exceptions are appeal proceedings, cassation complaints, proceedings before the Constitutional Court and cases of so-called necessary defence in criminal cases. However, we recommend representation by a lawyer in the remaining proceedings, especially since the lawyer will recommend the client the most appropriate course of action to protect the client's rights.

What to do if I received an (electronic) payment order?

A duly served payment order becomes legal if you do not file an objection to the payment order within 15 days from the date of delivery, in the court that issued the payment order. In opposition, you express your disagreement with the imposed obligation and the court will therefore cancel the payment order. Subsequently, you will have a period of 30 days, in which you must indicate for what reason you do not agree with the filed lawsuit. If you did not complete such a justification, the court could rule by judgment of recognition.

Do you have other questions or
would you like to discuss your
specific situation?

Arrange a consultation
JUDr. Vít Kučera, MBA
Vít has extensive experience in representing clients before domestic and foreign courts, especially in commercial disputes. He specializes in preliminary measures, which he also deals with in his publishing activities. Since 2013 he also serves as an arbitrator of the Football Association of the Czech Republic.
More information
Mgr. Martin Tůma, Ph.D.
Martin mainly deals with commercial cases, including disputes arising from unfair competition, damages or insurance claims. He likes to look for simple solutions to (seemingly) complex problems. He also deals with construction law, in connection with which he represents clients in negotiations with administrative authorities and before the courts.
More information
JUDr. Lukáš Šikel
Lukáš is a lawyer specializing in litigation, both in court and in arbitration proceedings. He has represented clients in simple disputes, debt collection, as well as in complex cases, such as those in construction law. He also has experience representing clients in enforcement proceedings and insolvency cases.
More information
JUDr. Aleš Linhart, Ph.D.
Aleš specializes in disputes in the areas of real estate, liability for defects in construction, particularly in transportation infrastructure, the automotive industry, damage compensation and insurance, as well as pre-contractual liability. He represents clients in international arbitrations, including investment arbitrations. You can also appoint him as an arbitrator, as he is listed in the register of arbitrators of the Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and the Agrarian Chamber of the Czech Republic.
More information
Mgr. Kateřina Obertová
Kateřina has been involved in legal disputes since the beginning of her long-standing legal practice, during which she has dealt primarily with disputes arising from civil and commercial contracts, as well as cases related to family law and real estate ownership. In her legal practice, she places great importance on clarity and empathy, striving to offer clients functional and practical solutions.
More information
JUDr. Ing. Vít Švestka
Vít is a lawyer specializing in solving problems in the field of tax law before the tax authorities and the courts. He also acts as a tax advisor and thus can provide additional valuable advice and experience on how to reduce the risk of initiating proceedings at all. Vít also deals with corporate disputes. In addition to his legal education, he also holds a degree from the University of Economics in Prague, where he also participates in teaching and publishing activities.
More information
Mgr. Marie Timoščuková
Marie is an expert in labor law. She has extensive experience representing clients in employment disputes, from both sides of the "barricade" — that is, on behalf of both employers and employees. She has successfully defended the validity of many dismissals and has also helped employees recover numerous unlawfully withheld wages.
More information
Mgr. Vojtěch Adámek
Vojtěch is an experienced lawyer specializing mainly in disputes over claims arising from contracts, including settlement of parties after termination of contracts, debt collection and disputes over compensation for damage (damages). He considers understanding the client's needs and finding effective and pragmatic solutions together, including extrajudicial termination of disputes, as the key to success.
More information
Další oblasti sporu