Internet law · Guernsey
Find an internet lawyer in Guernsey for your online dispute
Defamation, data breaches, fraudulent websites, platform disputes and e-commerce contracts all end up in the Bailiwick’s courts. Guernsey is a Crown Dependency with its own law, so you need an Advocate of the Royal Court, not a practitioner from elsewhere. We match you with one, free of charge.
- Advocates of the Royal Court with full rights of audience
- Matters heard in Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson and across the Bailiwick
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Why this page exists
Online problems, Guernsey law
An online dispute rarely stays online for long. A defamatory post, a hijacked account, a data breach, a spoof website trading on your name or a contract concluded by email can all finish up before a Guernsey court, and Guernsey is not England: the Bailiwick has its own legislature, its own courts and a mixed body of law built on Norman customary law with English statute grafted on top. That is why you want an internet lawyer in Guernsey rather than a general practitioner from another jurisdiction. We are a free matching service: you describe the problem, and we introduce you to an Advocate of the Royal Court whose practice covers online harms, platform liability, data, e-commerce and reputation. No cost for the introduction and no obligation to instruct.
Guernsey in practice
How internet disputes work in the Bailiwick
Guernsey is a Crown Dependency and not part of the United Kingdom. It has its own legislature, the States of Deliberation, and its own body of law applying across Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. That shapes how an online claim is pleaded, who may act for you and how long you have to act.
A Bailiwick with three jurisdictions
The States of Deliberation legislates for the whole Bailiwick, but Alderney and Sark keep their own first-instance courts, applying the law of their own jurisdiction, with appeals lying to the Royal Court. Advocates of the Royal Court are admitted to practise the laws of Guernsey, Alderney and Sark throughout the Bailiwick, so one Advocate can follow a matter across all three.
Who may act for you online
Advocacy in Guernsey is a fused profession: an Advocate performs the roles that solicitors and barristers perform in England, acting as both instructing lawyer and court advocate, and has full rights of audience. Lawyers who are not Advocates may practise Guernsey law while employed or supervised by a firm of Advocates, but they must not hold themselves out as Advocates and must state the jurisdiction in which they are qualified.
Prescription, not limitation
Guernsey has no direct equivalent of the English law of limitation. It applies prescription, which does not merely bar the remedy but extinguishes the right of action, and it is a matter of substantive law rather than procedure. Deadlines therefore cut off the claim itself, which is why online defamation, data and contract matters are usually reviewed promptly.
Where an online claim is heard
First instance lies in the Magistrate’s Court or the Royal Court. The Magistrate’s Court, with a Judge sitting alone, deals with civil claims in contract and tort up to £10,000. The Royal Court’s Ordinary Court hears the general civil jurisdiction, including company, trust and commercial work, with a judge and, where facts are in issue, at least two Jurats, who are the judges of fact.
What litigation costs in practice
Advocates bill by hourly rates. The recoverable rates fixed by the Costs and Fees Rules are £351 per hour for Advocates and £235.17 for associates, with the Advocates’ rate applying from 1 January 2026 and rising annually with inflation. Because these are below the rates actually charged, a successful party typically recovers around 60% to 70% of its real legal spend. Court fees are separately prescribed.
Legal aid and the Green Form
The Guernsey Legal Aid Service provides free or reduced-cost advice and representation to private individuals who cannot otherwise afford an Advocate; it is not available to companies or groups of people. Two tests apply: a financial means test and a legal merits test. A Green Form scheme allows people of limited means to obtain advice and assistance from an Advocate under a simple means test.
The country data above is drawn from official Guernsey sources, the Royal Court and The Guernsey Bar, together with published practice guidance, as at 2026.
- Appleby — Legal and Court System in Guernsey
- The Guernsey Bar
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Advocates of the Royal Court
- Collas Crill — Prescription explained
- Chambers Practice Guide — Defamation and reputation management, Guernsey
- Ferbrache & Farrell — Prescription and limitation
- Bedell Cristin — Time limits and Guernsey prescription
- EEOS — Requirements for employment complaints
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Matrimonial Causes
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Evictions
- States of Guernsey — Rent control guidance
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Court of Appeal guidance
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Legal Aid Service
- Bedell Cristin — Claims against estates in Guernsey
The problem
Why online disputes in Guernsey get complicated
A single post, breach or bad review can raise questions of jurisdiction, prescription and evidence that only a Bailiwick practitioner can answer with confidence.
Guernsey is not England
Practitioners from England and Wales cannot simply transfer their assumptions here. Guernsey has its own courts, its own legislation and a mixed legal inheritance, and English case law is persuasive but not binding on its judges.
Deadlines that extinguish rights
Prescription does not just bar the remedy; it extinguishes the right of action. Waiting to see whether an online post is taken down, or whether a platform responds, can consume the very period in which a claim had to be brought.
Finding the right Advocate
The Guernsey Bar is a small, specialised profession. Not every Advocate handles online harms, platform liability or data matters, so a targeted introduction saves weeks of enquiries and misdirected correspondence.
How we help
Matching you with the right Guernsey Advocate
You explain the situation once. We do the filtering and introduce you to a practitioner whose work actually covers your type of online dispute.
Specialisation first
We look at whether the Advocate handles defamation, data protection, cyber-fraud, e-commerce or platform disputes, rather than simply sending you to the nearest firm.
One short brief
You describe the facts, the parties, the platform involved and any dates you already know. We pass that on so the first conversation starts with substance.
Time-aware matching
Because prescription can extinguish a right of action, we prioritise matters where dates are already tight or where correspondence has begun.
No cost, no pressure
The introduction is free and carries no obligation. If the fit is not right, you can ask us to look again without any charge.
Where else we match
Internet law across Europe
The same free matching service covers other European jurisdictions, each with its own rules on online liability, privacy and jurisdiction.
Questions
Internet lawyers in Guernsey: common questions
What does an internet lawyer in Guernsey actually handle?
The term covers a range of online matters: defamation and reputation management, data protection and breaches, cyber-fraud and spoof websites, platform and hosting disputes, e-commerce contracts and terms, and misuse of confidential information. In Guernsey these are handled by Advocates of the Royal Court, whose practice may be corporate, commercial, trust, property or general civil litigation.
Can a lawyer qualified in England and Wales act for me in Guernsey?
Not as an Advocate. Only Advocates admitted by the Royal Court have full rights of audience. Lawyers who are not Advocates may practise Guernsey law while employed or supervised by a firm of Advocates, but they must not hold themselves out as Advocates and must state in their communications the jurisdiction in which they are qualified; failing to do so is a criminal offence.
Is Guernsey law on online defamation the same as English law?
No. Guernsey has its own legislature and its own courts, and its law is a mixed system: Norman customary private law with English common law and English-style statute grafted on. Guernsey legislation is drafted in English and English case law is persuasive, but it does not bind Guernsey courts.
How long do I have to bring a claim over an online post or a data breach?
Tort claims, including negligence and defamation, are subject to a six-year prescription period running from the date the cause of action accrued. Contractual claims also run for six years from the breach. Prescription extinguishes the right of action itself rather than merely barring the remedy, so the dates should be checked early.
How much does a Guernsey internet dispute cost?
Advocates charge hourly. The recoverable rates fixed by the Costs and Fees Rules are £351 per hour for Advocates and £235.17 for associates, so a successful party typically recovers roughly 60% to 70% of its actual spend. Court fees are prescribed separately. Contingency and success fee arrangements are prohibited under the Guernsey Bar Rules. Legal aid may be available to individuals who qualify.
Where would my online dispute be heard?
First instance lies in the Magistrate’s Court or the Royal Court. The Magistrate’s Court, with a Judge sitting alone, deals with civil contract and tort claims up to £10,000. Larger or more complex matters go to the Ordinary Court of the Royal Court, where the judge decides law and procedure and, where facts are in issue, Jurats decide the facts.
Next step
Tell us about your online dispute
Describe what happened, who is involved and any dates or correspondence you already have. We will introduce you to an Advocate of the Royal Court whose practice fits your matter. The matching is free, confidential and carries no obligation to instruct.