Criminal and Civil Litigation
We represent clients in criminal and civil matters before the District Court, High Court and Supreme Court of Nepal, and before the country’s quasi-judicial bodies. Our litigation practice is built on years of courtroom experience and a working understanding of how Nepal’s courts operate in practice, not only on paper.
Our approach begins before a case is filed. Where a dispute can realistically be resolved through mediation or settlement, we try that route first because it is usually faster, cheaper and less disruptive. Court proceedings follow when settlement is genuinely not an option.
Nepal’s Court Structure
The judiciary has three tiers. The District Court hears matters first, the High Court sits above it on appeal and on certain matters directly, and the Supreme Court has the final word. Alongside the regular courts, a range of quasi-judicial bodies and tribunals handle labour, revenue and administrative disputes. Knowing which forum a case belongs in is often the first strategic decision.
Arbitration sits somewhat apart from this structure. Nepal has its own Arbitration Act and is a party to the 1958 New York Convention, with reciprocity and commercial reservations. In practice, reciprocity matters a great deal: a foreign award is enforced only if the country where it was made would enforce a Nepalese award in return. That is exactly the kind of detail that needs careful handling before a client assumes an award will simply be enforced here.
What We Do
- Litigation advisory: assessing the merits, the likely forum and the realistic path forward, including whether settlement is worth pursuing first.
- Drafting claims and defences: preparing petitions, claims and defences built around the specific facts and applicable law.
- Representation before courts and tribunals: appearing for clients at every level of the court system and before quasi-judicial bodies.
- Enforcement of court decisions: helping clients turn a favourable judgment into a real outcome.
- Arbitration and foreign award enforcement: representing clients in arbitration and handling recognition and enforcement of foreign awards in Nepal.
Areas We Cover
Our litigation work spans white-collar crime, family disputes, property and real estate matters, tort claims and general civil and criminal cases. Disputes rarely stay confined to a single area of law, and having one team able to handle the criminal, civil and regulatory angles of the same matter serves clients better than splitting the problem between firms.
