A complete list of critical dates and the consequences of violating them
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You have received a notice from the arbitration court – do you know how much time you have and what will happen if you do not respond?
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Did you know that arbitration courts do not have a mechanism for reinstating a missed deadline for filing objections, unlike state courts?
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From what moment does the period begin to count – from the date of sending or from the date of receipt of the notice?
The defendant received notice of the arbitration claim on Friday evening. He decided to deal with it on Monday. Monday was spent busy. On Tuesday, he discovered that the deadline for filing a response had expired—it was set at 14 days from the date of receipt of the notice. The decision was rendered without his participation.
Where do procedural deadlines come from?
In arbitration proceedings, deadlines are established by two sources: the Rules of the Riga Arbitration Court and the court’s specific rulings on the case. In the event of a discrepancy, the specific ruling on the case takes precedence over the general rules.
According to the RTS Regulations (2025 edition), deadlines are calculated in business days unless otherwise specified. Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays are not included in the deadline.
Critical deadlines for the defendant
The deadline for filing a response to the claim is 14-21 business days from the date of receipt of notice of claim. This may be changed by court order. Consequence of a violation: the court hears the case without the defendant’s position, based on the plaintiff’s materials.
Deadline for raising an objection to the court’s lack of jurisdiction. If you believe the arbitral tribunal is not competent to hear your dispute (there is no arbitration clause, the clause is invalid), you must do so before or simultaneously with filing the first procedural document on the merits. If you miss this deadline, the court may deem you have consented to its jurisdiction.
The deadline for filing a counterclaim is: According to the rules, it’s before the deadline for filing a response, unless the court rules otherwise. If you miss the deadline, the counterclaim will be considered in a separate proceeding with its own fee.
Critical deadlines for the plaintiff
The deadline for filing a response to the defendant’s response is usually 10-14 business days from the date the response is received. Missing the deadline is possible, but that means the court has no opinion on your position on the defendant’s objections.
The deadline for submitting additional evidence is set by the court. After the evidence submission stage is closed, new materials are accepted only in exceptional cases.
Time limit for challenging an arbitration court decision
This is the period after the decision is received. The arbitration court’s decision is final on its merits. However, the defendant may challenge it in state court on procedural grounds.
The deadline for filing an application to set aside an arbitral award in a state court is three months from the date of receipt of the award. If missed, the application will not be accepted. The grounds for challenging an arbitral award are strictly limited by law—only procedural violations, not the merits of the case.
How to calculate deadlines correctly
The period begins to run on the next business day after the document is received. If the notification is received on a Friday, the first day of the period is the Monday of the following week (unless it is a holiday).
If the last day of the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is moved to the next business day.
The deadline is calculated until the end of the last day - until 23:59 if documents are submitted electronically, or until the office closes if in person.
Checklist for receiving any document from the arbitration court
Record the date of receipt immediately
Determine the document type and the required response actions
Calculate the response time - mark it on the calendar with a reserve of 2-3 days
Identify the person in charge
If you need a lawyer, contact us immediately, not on the last day.
If it is impossible to meet the deadline, immediately apply for an extension with justification.
There is no lenient extension of deadlines in arbitration. A date on the calendar is more important than the most brilliant position in the case.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.