Civil and Commercial Courts: Where Disputes May Be Heard
An overview of Liberia's civil, debt and commercial courts and why jurisdiction matters before a case is filed.
Different courts handle different disputes
Liberia's Judiciary includes Circuit Courts and specialised courts, including the Commercial Court and Debt Courts. The correct forum depends on the type of dispute, the relief requested, the amount involved and the governing law.
Civil Law Courts and Circuit Courts
Circuit Courts exercise broad original jurisdiction where another court does not have exclusive jurisdiction. In Montserrado County, the Sixth Judicial Circuit includes the Civil Law Court.
Commercial Court
The Commercial Court is a specialised court established to deal with commercial matters. The Judiciary describes its jurisdiction as covering a wide range of commercial disputes, including contracts, business relationships, banking and financial services, commercial arbitration and other commercial claims.
Debt Court
Debt Courts deal with civil actions for payment of debt within their statutory jurisdiction, with overlap with the Commercial Court in some circumstances.
Why jurisdiction matters
Filing in the wrong court can create delay and procedural difficulty. Court rules also govern filing, service, evidence, appeals and enforcement.
Use the Judiciary's official information and current court rules to verify the correct forum. This page is an orientation guide, not advice on where a particular claim must be filed.