Online Proceedings, and Verdicts in 3 Weeks

Ultima Ratio appeared in Poland last April and immediately sparked significant interest among companies, particularly those with a large retail customer base. Ultima Ratio is an electronic arbitration court, where the entire proceeding is conducted online, verdicts are issued by arbitrators who are notaries by day, and cases last only 3 weeks. If you run a wholesaler, manage an online store, own a manufacturing company, create mobile apps or websites, run an accounting office, have rental properties or operate a similar business - electronic arbitration is an ideal solution for you. It is in your vital interest to have your invoices pursued efficiently and effectively. Otherwise, you might find yourself in dire straits quickly. 

Little-Known Provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure

Before electronic arbitration emerged, few realized that state courts were not the only way to pursue overdue invoices for enforcement. Meanwhile, Article 1212 of the Code of Civil Procedure has long stipulated that arbitration court verdicts have the same legal force as state court judgments. You only need to apply for an enforcement clause to be granted, and cases can be handed over to enforcement officers.

See also: Enforcement Clauses in a Month and a Half. Appeal Courts Support Ultima Ratio

Convenient Proceedings and Costs Reduced by up to 70%

How do proceedings with Ultima Ratio work? Thanks to an agreement between our court and the Ministry of Digitisation, you can confirm your identity in a very simple way using the Trusted Profile when setting up your user account. The claim itself can also be filed online. All it takes is filling out a clear form. Evidence can be a document scan, a photo, a video, an audio recording, a computer or phone screen capture - in short, anything that can be saved as a computer file. You can handle the entire case without leaving your office.

See also: Proceedings before Ultima Ratio - How to Write a Pleading and Present Evidence, YouTube, 1:25 min

The process is therefore convenient, and total costs can be up to 70% lower than those incurred in traditional court. However, the most impressive aspect is the case processing time - typically 3 weeks from the filing of the claim. After all, the World Bank reports that commercial cases in Polish courts take on average 685 days!

See also: Ultima Ratio Has Issued Its First Historical Verdict! The Case Lasted Only 8 Days. See the Case Study

Once the Agreement is Signed, the Other Party Cannot Withdraw

There is only one condition: the agreement with the client must include an arbitration clause. It usually reads as follows: 

“All disputes arising from or related to this agreement will be resolved by the ‘Ultima Ratio’ First Electronic Arbitration Court at the Association of Notaries of the Republic of Poland in Warsaw, according to the rules of this Court in effect at the time of the commencement of proceedings.”

If your company does not have written contracts with clients, you can include an appropriate clause in the general terms of sale on your website. How to do this? Here we provide a detailed step-by-step guide for such situations.

The best part is that after entering into a contract with an arbitration clause, the other party can no longer change their mind or withdraw. In this case, the law clearly states that a case with an arbitration clause for Ultima Ratio can be filed exclusively with Ultima Ratio. A common court, even if it wanted to hear it, would have to reject it right at the outset - in accordance with Article 1165 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Forget About Stress, Gloomy Atmosphere at Home and Ruined Trips

Electronic arbitration thus creates a protective umbrella for the invoices issued by your company. Forget about stress, payment demands, nervy calls with reminders, a gloomy atmosphere at home, ruined trips, and all such annoyances that result in a lack of any motivation to continue doing business. When your debtors realize that they indeed have to pay your invoices, because otherwise in a few weeks a bailiff will knock on their door - the cash flow problem in your company will resolve itself.    

If after reading this material you would like to explore the possibilities of electronic arbitration further, fill out the form below. One of the founders of Ultima Ratio will personally talk to you and try to address all your concerns.