Internet Law · Gibraltar
Find an internet lawyer in Gibraltar for online disputes
Online harm, e-commerce contracts and data disputes need advice that fits Gibraltar’s own legal system. Tell us what happened and we match you, free of charge, with a lawyer who handles internet-related matters before the Gibraltar courts.
- Defamation, data, platform and e-commerce disputes
- Solicitors and barristers of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar
- Free, no-obligation matching within 24–48 hours
Free for clients · Your details are shared only with the lawyer who takes your matter.
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Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Why this page exists
Internet law in a separate common law jurisdiction
Businesses built on websites, apps and marketplaces often need legal help that moves as quickly as the internet. An internet lawyer in Gibraltar deals with the questions that arise online: defamation and reputational harm, misuse of data, e-commerce contracts, platform takedowns, cyber-fraud and disputes with suppliers or customers abroad. Gibraltar is a separate common law jurisdiction rather than part of the United Kingdom, so its courts, limitation periods and practising rules are its own. Our matching service is free for clients: you describe the problem once, and we connect you with a solicitor or barrister of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar who handles that kind of work, so the technical detail and the legal detail sit in the same conversation.
Local framework
How internet-related disputes work in Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory with its own distinct legal system, based on English common law, the rules of equity and statutes of general application as adapted by local legislation. Internet-related claims here therefore follow Gibraltar’s own statutes, courts and limitation periods, not the law of England and Wales.
Which Gibraltar courts hear online disputes
Criminal and family matters start in the Magistrates’ Court, while the Supreme Court of Gibraltar — established under section 56 of the Constitution — handles civil claims comparable to those of the English High Court. Appeals go to the Court of Appeal for Gibraltar and, ultimately, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London.
Defamation: no shortened limitation period
Unlike England and Wales, Gibraltar’s Limitation Act contains no special one-year period for defamation. Such claims fall within the general six-year period for actions founded on tort, and defamation itself remains governed by the Defamation Act 1960. Evidence from websites and social platforms should still be preserved early, because the window is generous but not unlimited.
Who may act for you
Representation before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal is by barristers and solicitors of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar. Section 29(2) of the Supreme Court Act provides that a solicitor enrolled in Gibraltar may also act as a barrister, so a single practitioner can both advise and conduct advocacy. Specialist barristers are usually instructed in the higher courts.
What court fees look like
Court fees are set out in Schedule 6 to the Supreme Court Rules 2000 as amended in 2025, and they rise with the amount claimed. Starting a non-money claim costs £450 and judicial review £650, while a £1,000 hearing-listing fee applies to trials listed for three or more days. Professional fees are separate and agreed between lawyer and client.
Legal aid and means testing
The Legal Aid and Assistance Act provides criminal legal aid and civil legal assistance before Gibraltar’s courts and tribunals. Civil assistance is means-tested against income and capital thresholds that may be varied by notice in the Gazette, and it is also subject to a merits test. Commercial internet disputes often fall outside the scheme, so agree fees in advance.
English-language courts and published law
Gibraltar’s courts sit in English, and judgments are published, with the Gibraltar Law Reports covering decisions from 1812 onwards. Consolidated Gibraltar legislation is freely available on gibraltarlaws.gov.gi, so both you and your lawyer can check the current text of the statutes that apply to an online dispute.
All country data on this page is taken from official Gibraltar sources, including the Government of Gibraltar and the Gibraltar legislation database, with the reference dates shown in each source.
- Government of Gibraltar — Structure of the justice system
- Legal Services Act 2017 — Gibraltar legislation
- Supreme Court Act — Gibraltar legislation
- Limitation Act — Gibraltar legislation
- Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act — Gibraltar legislation
- Employment Act — Gibraltar legislation
- Court of Appeal Rules 2004 — Gibraltar legislation
- Matrimonial Causes Act — Gibraltar legislation
- Government of Gibraltar — Court fees schedule, 2025
Common situations
What brings clients to us
Online disputes rarely arrive neatly labelled. These are the patterns we see most often.
Your reputation is under attack online
Posts, reviews or fake profiles can spread before you have gathered any evidence. A lawyer can advise on what to preserve, what to request from a platform, and how defamation is treated under Gibraltar’s six-year tort period.
A cross-border contract has gone wrong
Software, hosting and marketplace agreements often name a foreign law or a foreign court. You need to know whether a Gibraltar court can hear the dispute and how any judgment could be enforced.
You do not know where to start
Gibraltar’s legal system is separate from the United Kingdom’s, with its own courts, practising rules and fee scales. Being matched with someone who works in that system removes the guesswork from the first step.
How matching helps
Why clients use our service
One request, one shortlist, one lawyer who already understands the subject matter.
Specialists in online matters
We match you with lawyers who work on internet-related disputes: defamation, data misuse, platform and marketplace conflicts, e-commerce contracts and cyber-fraud, rather than general practice alone.
Admitted in Gibraltar
You are put in touch with solicitors and barristers of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar. Because a Gibraltar solicitor may also act as a barrister, one practitioner can often advise and represent you.
Free and confidential
Describing your situation costs nothing. Your details are shared only with the lawyer who takes the matter, and you decide whether to instruct after the first conversation.
A focused first meeting
Because the lawyer already handles internet work, the first meeting can deal with strategy, evidence and deadlines instead of introductions and background reading.
Also available in
Other European jurisdictions we cover
Our network extends beyond Gibraltar to lawyers practising in these countries.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What does an internet lawyer in Gibraltar actually handle?
An internet lawyer in Gibraltar advises on disputes that begin online: defamation and reputational damage, data and privacy complaints, e-commerce and software contracts, marketplace and platform issues, and cyber-fraud. Because Gibraltar applies English common law as adapted by local legislation, the advice is grounded in Gibraltar statute and case law rather than in English law applied automatically.
Are defamation claims treated differently in Gibraltar?
Yes. Gibraltar’s Limitation Act sets no special period for defamation, so such claims fall within the general six-year period for actions founded on tort, and defamation itself remains governed by the Defamation Act 1960. That gives claimants a longer window than the one-year period used in England and Wales, although delay still weakens the evidence available.
Who can represent me before the Gibraltar courts?
Representation before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal is by barristers and solicitors of the Supreme Court of Gibraltar. Under section 29(2) of the Supreme Court Act, a solicitor enrolled in Gibraltar may also act as a barrister, so one practitioner can both advise and conduct advocacy. Specialist barristers are usually instructed for complex matters.
Where would my case be heard?
Criminal allegations such as online fraud begin in the Magistrates’ Court, and serious matters may be tried in the Supreme Court, generally before a jury with provision for lay assessors in complex financial trials. Civil claims are usually heard by a judge sitting alone, with smaller matters dealt with under the Small Claims Jurisdiction.
How long do I have to bring a claim?
Most contractual and tortious claims, including defamation, must be brought within six years of the date the cause of action accrued. Personal injury claims have three years, and a civil appeal must be filed within 14 days of the decision complained of. Latent damage claims may run for three years from the date of knowledge, subject to a 15-year long-stop.
Can I obtain legal aid for an internet dispute?
The Legal Aid and Assistance Act provides criminal legal aid and civil legal assistance before Gibraltar’s courts and tribunals. Civil assistance is means-tested against income and capital thresholds that may be varied by notice in the Gazette, and it also requires a merits test. Many commercial internet disputes fall outside the scheme, so ask how fees will be handled at the outset.
Next step
Tell us about your online dispute
Describe the situation in your own words — what happened, who is involved and what you need. We will match you, free of charge, with a lawyer who handles internet-related matters in Gibraltar, so you can decide on the next step with proper advice in front of you.