Internet Law · Poland
Find an internet lawyer in Poland for online disputes
Online disputes rarely stay online. Whether you are facing defamation, a suspended seller account, copied content or a contested domain, a Polish-qualified professional can tell you which route fits your facts. We match you with one free of charge.
- Lawyers qualified in Poland — adwokat or radca prawny
- Civil, commercial and administrative routes explained clearly
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Internet law
Online disputes, Polish procedure
When something goes wrong online — a defamatory post, a blocked marketplace account, stolen content, a data breach or a domain taken over by a third party — the question is rarely whether you have rights, but which Polish court is competent, what evidence you need and how long you have. Poland follows the continental civil law model, so remedies rest on codified statutes such as the Civil Code rather than on judicial precedent, and EU law applies directly and takes precedence over conflicting national legislation. Civil claims connected with the internet are generally heard by the ordinary courts, and both the adwokat and the radca prawny may represent you before every court in Poland. Tell us what happened and we match you, free of charge, with an internet lawyer in Poland who handles these matters.
Poland in practice
How internet-related disputes are handled in Poland
Poland is a continental civil law jurisdiction: rules come from codified statutes rather than from precedent, and EU law applies directly. That shapes how an online dispute is framed, which court hears it and how quickly you must act. The points below cover the mechanics that matter most.
Which courts hear internet-related claims
Poland’s ordinary courts sit in three tiers: district courts (sądy rejonowe) hear cases at first instance, regional courts (sądy okręgowe) act at first instance for more serious or higher-value matters and on appeal, and appellate courts (sądy apelacyjne) hear second-instance appeals. Cases where a public authority is the decision-maker go instead to the voivodeship administrative courts, with a further appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court.
Two professions, one set of court rights
Since 1 July 2015 the adwokat (advocate) and the radca prawny (attorney-at-law) have had identical rights of audience before all Polish courts, including the Supreme Court and the administrative courts. Entry to either profession requires a three-year training, a professional examination and compulsory membership of the relevant self-government. You may act in person, but representation is expected in many matters, particularly on appeal.
What a Polish court case costs
For a pecuniary claim the court fee is a proportional charge of 5% of the amount in dispute, subject to a statutory minimum and a cap for the largest claims; labour, family and some non-contentious matters attract fixed or reduced fees. Lawyer’s fees are freely agreed with no binding tariff, but the amount recoverable from the losing party is capped by reference to rates fixed by the Minister of Justice.
Help with costs and access to justice
Two mechanisms exist for people of limited means. Free legal aid (nieodpłatna pomoc prawna), regulated by the Act of 5 August 2015, is delivered through non-governmental legal aid points. Separately, the court may exempt a party from court costs and appoint an adwokat or radca prawny whose remuneration is paid from public funds. Which route applies depends on your circumstances and the stage of the case.
Time limits you cannot ignore
Polish limitation periods are set by the Civil Code. A six-year period applies to most contractual debts, while claims connected with business activity and claims for periodic payments are limited to three years. Damages claims in tort are subject to three years, with a longstop of ten years from the event. Missing a period can end the claim, so timing should be checked before you negotiate.
Appeals against public decisions
Where a public authority is involved — for instance a decision by a Polish regulator, a supervisory body or a licensing office — an appeal must generally be lodged within 14 days. Administrative cases are heard by the voivodeship administrative courts, with a further appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court, and the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation. EU law applies directly in Poland and takes precedence over conflicting national rules.
Every procedural detail and time limit on this page is taken from official sources — the Sejm ISAP register of Polish legislation and the European e-Justice Portal — as published at the time of writing.
- European e-Justice Portal — National justice systems: Poland
- European e-Justice Portal — Types of legal professions: Poland
- Sejm ISAP — Prawo o adwokaturze and Act on Legal Advisers (consolidated texts)
- Sejm ISAP — Act on Court Costs in Civil Cases of 28 July 2005
- Sejm ISAP — Civil Code of 23 April 1964 (limitation periods)
- Sejm ISAP — Labour Code of 26 June 1974
- Sejm ISAP — Code of Administrative Procedure of 14 June 1960
The problem
Why online disputes stall before they start
Most people lose time at the beginning — not in court, but working out which court, which evidence and which deadline apply.
You do not know who to sue
An anonymous account, a foreign platform, a Polish company — identifying the correct defendant and the competent court is often the first real obstacle, and it shapes how the entire case is run.
Evidence disappears quickly
Posts are deleted, comments edited, accounts closed. If the material is not preserved early, a claim about online content turns into a dispute about what used to be there.
Costs feel unpredictable
Court fees, lawyer’s fees and the capped recovery of costs are hard to estimate from the outside, so many people wait until an important time limit is already close before asking for advice.
How we help
What you get when we match you
A short, structured introduction to a professional who already works with internet-related matters in Poland.
Qualified Polish lawyers
Every professional we match you with is an adwokat or radca prawny entitled to appear before the Polish courts, including on appeal and before the Supreme Court.
Free matching
You describe the problem once; we compare it with lawyers who handle internet-related matters in Poland and introduce you at no cost, with no obligation to instruct anyone.
Clear explanation of procedure
You learn which court or authority is competent, what documents matter and which time limit applies before you commit to anything. The first call is a conversation, not a contract.
Cross-border awareness
Many online disputes have a second leg abroad, and our network covers lawyers in the countries around Poland who can coordinate with a Polish colleague on the same file.
Cross-border
Where else we match lawyers
We work with lawyers in Poland and in the neighbouring and European jurisdictions where online disputes most often have a second leg.
FAQ
Internet law in Poland: common questions
What does an internet lawyer in Poland actually handle?
It is a working description rather than a formal Polish title. An adwokat or radca prawny working in this area advises on unlawful online content, defamation, e-commerce and consumer disputes, domain and copyright questions, suspended platform accounts and data-related claims, and represents you before the ordinary courts or the administrative courts where a public authority is involved.
Which Polish courts hear internet-related civil claims?
Civil claims go to the ordinary courts: district courts (sądy rejonowe) at first instance, regional courts (sądy okręgowe) for more serious or higher-value matters and on appeal, and appellate courts (sądy apelacyjne) at second instance. Matters involving a public authority go to the voivodeship administrative courts, with an appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court.
How long do I have to bring a claim in Poland?
It depends on the type of claim. Contractual debts are generally limited to six years, while claims arising from business activity, periodic payments and tort damages are limited to three years, with a maximum of ten years from the event for tort. Because a missed period can end the claim, timing should be checked early.
Do I have to travel to Poland to instruct a lawyer there?
No. Instructions can be given remotely and a lawyer can act on your behalf in proceedings, because representation does not require your physical presence in the courtroom. In some matters the court may still expect a party to attend in person, and the lawyer will tell you when that is likely.
What will it cost, and can costs be recovered?
Matching through this site is free and you agree fees directly with the lawyer, since fees in Poland are freely negotiated and there is no binding tariff. For a pecuniary claim the court fee is normally 5% of the amount in dispute. If you win, the sum recoverable from the other side is capped by statutory rates.
Is legal aid available in Poland?
Yes. Free legal aid under the Act of 5 August 2015 is delivered through non-governmental legal aid points, and separately the court may exempt a party from court costs and appoint an adwokat or radca prawny whose remuneration is paid from public funds. Eligibility depends on your means and the nature of the case.
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Tell us about your online dispute
Describe what happened in a few sentences. We review it and introduce you, free of charge, to an internet lawyer in Poland whose practice covers the issue — with no obligation to proceed.