Agricultural litigation: trial before the Joint Rural Leases Tribunal (JRTP)
Verified 28 November 2025 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Are you an owner or operator of agricultural land or buildings and have a dispute with the rural leaseholder? You are sharecropper and you have a conflict with the owner of the farmland? We explain how to apply to the joint rural leases court.
The Joint Rural Leases Tribunal judges disputes between owners and operators of agricultural land or buildings, regardless of the amount.
This could include, for example, a conflict involving one of the following subjects:
- Amount of rent
- Duration of lease of land
- Content of the lease
- Authorization to operate
- Right of pre-emption.
Please note
The chairman of the Joint Rural Leases Tribunal has his own powers. For example, it may order an expert opinion or modify the expert appointed by the court.
The legal claim is formed by a assignment, by query or, if the parties agree, by joint application.
In emergency cases, the court may be seised by a summons in interim relief.
Assignment
The summons must contain certain mandatory particulars:
- Designation of the competent court
- Purpose of the request (delivery of goods, cancelation of a contract, request for damages...)
- Full identity of parties
- Reasons for the dispute
- Parts List
You can ask for the help of a lawyer in drafting the summons.
Who shall I contact
If your income does not allow you to pay a lawyer, you can apply for legal aid.
The competent court is the from location of the location of the property concerned.
Who shall I contact
Query
You may bring an action before the court by submitting a query.
The request must include the following:
- Full identity of parties
- Court seised
- Purpose of the request (damagespayment of rent, cancelation of the lease contract...)
- Reasons for the dispute
- List of coins (which must be provided in as many copies as opponents)
You need to encrypt your requests (€100 damages, for example).
It must be dated and signed.
You can write the application yourself or ask a lawyer to do so.
If your income does not allow you to pay a lawyer, you can apply for legal aid.
The competent court is the of the location of the property concerned.
Who shall I contact
In case of agreement (joint request)
In agreement with your opponent, you can bring an action before the court by handing over a joint request.
This request, signed jointly by the parties, must indicate your points of agreement and your points of disagreement.
The request must include the following:
- Full identity of the parties
- Court seised
- Subject of the claim (damages, payment of rent, cancelation of the lease contract...)
- Reasons for dispute
- Parts List
It must be dated and signed.
The competent court is the from location of the location of the property concerned.
Who shall I contact
Please note
The use of a commissioner of justice is mandatory for applications submitted for publication in the real estate file. For example, in the case of an action against a sale made in violation of a right of pre-emption.
Who shall I contact
It takes place in 3 steps.
1Attempted conciliation
You and your opponent are summoned by the court registry to an attempt at compulsory conciliation, This conciliation shall be carried out by the court or by a conciliator of justice. At least 15 days must elapse between the summons and the attempt at conciliation.
The parties are obliged to introduce yourself personallyHowever, it is possible to be represented if there is a legitimate reason.
The persons who can assist or represent you are:
- Lawyer
- Major family member (father, mother, brother, sister or child)
- Person you live with as a couple
- Commissioner of Justice
- Member or employee of a professional agricultural organization.
You and your opponent must seek an amicable agreement.
If an agreement is reached, the parties sign a conciliation report.
If conciliation is not possible, the case is referred to a hearing for adjudication.
2Hearing of judgment
You and your opponent must appear personally at this hearing.
Please note
The procedure can take place without hearing. The parties must give their consent in writing.
3Decision of the court
The court makes a decision in the form of a judgment. It will be notified by registered letter with request for acknowledgement of receipt.
The notification allows the time limit for appealing against the decision to be set aside. The type of appeal you can exercise is indicated in the Registry's notification.
The remedy depends on the value of the dispute:
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Litigation up to 5000 €
Where the value of the dispute is equal to or less than €5,000, the call is impossible.
The only way to challenge the judgment is appeal in cassation.
Litigation over 5000 €
If the value of the dispute is greater than €5,000 or is indeterminate, it is possible to enter the court of appeal.
The call must be made within a time limit of 1 month from notification of the contested decision.
The assistance of a lawyer is not mandatory.
The costs you incur to bring the matter before the court and defend yourself (lawyer's fees and costs of the Commissioner of Justice) are at your expense.
If your resources are insufficient, you can benefit from legal aid to cover all or part of these costs.
The procedure before the court is free.
Please note
If you lose your business, you may be ordered to repay the costs of the trial to your opponent.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For further information
Administrative information by phone - Allô Service Public
For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot provide information on their progress.
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The informants who answer you belong to the Department of Justice.
For further information
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Time limit for appeal
Ordinary procedure
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