Delhi has seven district court complexes, a High Court that hears big civil cases directly, the principal benches of many national tribunals, and neighbours in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana with their own courts. Choosing the right advocate starts with knowing where your matter belongs. This guide explains Delhi courts and forums, local laws on property and tenancy, family and police matters, legal aid and fees, in plain words. When you are ready, describe your matter in the form and an enrolment-verified advocate in Delhi who handles it can call you. It is free for clients.
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Delhi is not just another city with a district court. It is the seat of the Supreme Court, the Union Government, Parliament and dozens of national tribunals, and it is also a state-level territory with its own government, High Court, police and civil courts. A single dispute can touch several of these at once. A flat buyer may face a builder registered with the Delhi RERA, a bank proceeding before a Debts Recovery Tribunal, and a criminal complaint in a district court, all in the same year. An employee of a central ministry goes to a different tribunal from an employee of a private company. A family dispute can involve a spouse in Delhi and in-laws in Ghaziabad, which means two states and two High Courts.
That is why "a good lawyer in Delhi" means something specific: an advocate who regularly appears in the particular court, complex or tribunal where your matter will be heard, and who knows its practices. A senior who argues in the Supreme Court every week may not be the right person to attend daily dates in a Karkardooma magistrate's court, and an advocate who practises in Saket may rarely go to Rohini. This guide explains Delhi's courts and forums, the local laws and offices that commonly matter, and how to choose an advocate for your kind of case.
Civil suits, criminal trials, bail, cheque bounce, family cases, motor accident claims and more, across seven court complexes.
Appeals, writ petitions, high-value civil and commercial suits, bail in serious cases and arbitration matters.
Company law, insolvency, environment, service disputes, banking recovery, tax and consumer appeals at national level.
Rent control, revenue courts, sub-registrars, marriage registration, Delhi RERA and the state consumer commission.
DDA, central ministries, Delhi Police under the Union Home Ministry, and authorities whose orders are challenged before central tribunals.
Matters spilling into Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad, where different state laws and courts apply.
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Delhi's subordinate courts work from seven court complexes, each serving one or more judicial districts. Inside each complex sit civil judges and district judges for civil cases, judicial magistrates and sessions judges for criminal cases, family courts, commercial courts, motor accident claims tribunals and special courts. The complex that hears your matter depends mainly on the police station involved in a criminal case, or on the location of the property, the defendant or the cause of action in a civil case.
| Court complex | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tis Hazari | Near Kashmere Gate, North Delhi | The oldest and one of the largest complexes, established in 1958; serves parts of central, north and west Delhi |
| Patiala House | Near India Gate | Serves the New Delhi district, including the Lutyens' zone and central government areas |
| Karkardooma | Near Anand Vihar, East Delhi | Serves East Delhi, North-East Delhi and Shahdara |
| Saket | Pushp Vihar, South Delhi | Serves South and South-East Delhi |
| Rohini | Sector 14, Rohini | Serves North-West and North Delhi, including outer areas |
| Dwarka | Sector 10, Dwarka | Serves South-West Delhi, including Dwarka and nearby areas |
| Rouse Avenue | Near ITO | Opened in 2019; hosts special courts such as CBI and anti-corruption courts and cases involving legislators |
Jurisdiction is assigned by notification and changes from time to time. The quickest way to confirm the right complex is to ask an advocate who practises in the area, or to check the police station's attachment and the cause lists on the Delhi district courts' website and the eCourts portal.
The Delhi High Court on Sher Shah Road is unusual among High Courts because it has original civil jurisdiction: civil suits valued above ₹2 crore are filed directly before it rather than in a district court. Its commercial division hears high-value commercial disputes, including intellectual property suits, which makes Delhi one of the busiest forums in India for trademark and copyright litigation. The High Court also hears writ petitions against the Delhi Government, central authorities located in Delhi and public bodies, criminal and civil appeals, bail applications in serious matters, petitions to quash FIRs, and arbitration matters. Through the Delhi International Arbitration Centre, housed in the High Court, parties can arbitrate disputes under institutional rules.
The Supreme Court of India sits on Tilak Marg. Only Advocates-on-Record can file cases there. Many Delhi advocates practise in both the High Court and the Supreme Court, and Delhi is where most Advocates-on-Record are based, which is useful if your matter is likely to go up on appeal.
Because Delhi is the national capital, the principal benches of many tribunals are here. For some matters, these are the most important forums in the city.
| Forum | What it handles |
|---|---|
| National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission | Consumer claims above ₹2 crore and appeals from state commissions across India |
| Delhi State Consumer Commission and District Consumer Commissions | Consumer claims from ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore, and up to ₹50 lakh, respectively |
| NCLT Principal Bench and New Delhi benches; NCLAT | Company law disputes, oppression and mismanagement, insolvency; appeals to the NCLAT |
| Debts Recovery Tribunals (three in Delhi) and the Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal | Bank recovery claims and challenges to SARFAESI action |
| Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench | Service disputes of central government employees |
| National Green Tribunal, Principal Bench | Environmental disputes, pollution and forest matters |
| Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Delhi benches | Income tax appeals |
| Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal, Principal Bench | Customs and legacy indirect tax appeals |
| Armed Forces Tribunal, Principal Bench | Service disputes of armed forces personnel |
| Delhi RERA and its appellate tribunal | Complaints about registered real estate projects in Delhi |
| Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals of Delhi | Industrial disputes and workmen's claims |
| Rent Controllers and Rent Control Tribunal | Disputes under the Delhi Rent Control Act |
Tribunal practice is specialised. If your matter belongs before one of these forums, ask specifically for an advocate who appears there regularly.
For people living and working across the National Capital Region, the question of which court to approach is one of the most common and most important. Neighbouring cities may be minutes away, but they are in different states, with different police, stamp duty, rent laws and High Courts.
| City | State | District courts | High Court |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | National Capital Territory of Delhi | Seven complexes in Delhi | Delhi High Court |
| Noida and Greater Noida | Uttar Pradesh | District courts of Gautam Buddh Nagar | Allahabad High Court |
| Ghaziabad | Uttar Pradesh | Ghaziabad district courts | Allahabad High Court |
| Gurugram | Haryana | Gurugram district courts | Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh |
| Faridabad | Haryana | Faridabad district courts | Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh |
Where more than one place is possible, choosing well can save time and travel. An advocate who practises across the NCR can advise which forum suits your case best.
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In December 2025, the Delhi Government reorganised the city's revenue districts from eleven to thirteen. The districts are now South East, Old Delhi, North, New Delhi, Central, Central North, South West, Outer North, North West, North East, East, South and West. Revenue districts are run by District Magistrates and Sub-Divisional Magistrates, who handle matters such as marriage registration, caste and income certificates, land records, and some sub-registrar functions.
Revenue districts are not the same as judicial districts. The reorganisation changes which SDM or revenue office handles your registration or certificate, but the court that hears your case is decided by the courts' own jurisdiction notifications. If you are applying for marriage registration, a legal heir certificate or a land record correction, check which revenue district and sub-division your address now falls under before you apply.
Property disputes are among the most common reasons people in Delhi look for a lawyer. The city's history of planned development by the DDA, rapid unplanned growth, village land and a long tradition of power-of-attorney sales has produced some uniquely Delhi problems.
A very large number of Delhi residents live in colonies that grew up without planning approval. For decades, homes there changed hands through a general power of attorney, an agreement to sell, a will and a receipt, rather than a registered sale deed. The Supreme Court held in Suraj Lamp and Industries v. State of Haryana (2011) that such documents do not transfer ownership. In 2019, Parliament passed a law recognising the property rights of residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi, and the DDA's PM-UDAY scheme allows eligible residents to apply for a conveyance deed or authorisation slip on the basis of their documents and payments. Advocates help with applications, rejected claims, disputes between successive buyers, and verification before purchase.
Many DDA flats and plots were originally allotted on leasehold. Owners can apply to convert them to freehold, which makes sale, mortgage and inheritance far simpler. Common issues include missing chain documents, mismatched names after inheritance, pending dues and objections from the DDA. Our news brief on a Delhi High Court ruling on DDA freehold conversion shows the kind of disputes that reach court.
Sale deeds, gift deeds and leases are registered before the sub-registrar who has jurisdiction over the property. In Delhi, stamp duty on a sale deed is generally 6 percent of the value for men, 4 percent for women and 5 percent for joint ownership by a man and a woman, with a registration fee of about 1 percent, calculated on the higher of the transaction value and the circle rate. Gift deeds within close family attract concessional duty in some cases. Use our Delhi stamp duty calculator for an estimate, and confirm the current rates before registration.
Older village areas, known as Lal Dora or abadi land, were historically outside many building and registration rules, which has led to disputes over ownership records. Agricultural land in rural Delhi is governed by the Delhi Land Reforms Act, 1954, which has its own rules on who holds rights and how land can be transferred, and disputes may go to revenue courts. Land records for many villages are now available online through the Revenue Department.
Builder floors and group housing projects in Delhi raise disputes over delayed possession, construction quality, sanctioned plans and conveyance. Registered projects come under the Delhi RERA; buyers can also approach consumer commissions. Before buying a resale property, a property verification by an advocate checks the title chain, encumbrances, sanctioned plan and municipal records.
After a purchase or inheritance, the property tax record with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, or the NDMC or Cantonment Board where applicable, must be updated. Mutation does not create ownership but is needed for paying tax, getting utility connections in your name and selling later.
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Tenancy disputes in Delhi depend first on whether the Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 applies at all. The Act protects tenants of older, low-rent premises, but it does not apply to premises where the monthly rent exceeds ₹3,500. Most modern tenancies in Delhi have rents far above that, so they are governed instead by the rent agreement and general law, mainly the Transfer of Property Act.
Delhi Police require landlords to get tenants verified, which can be done online. Leases for more than a year must be registered; that is why eleven-month agreements are common. Our rent agreement service prepares agreements that suit Delhi practice.
Each of Delhi's district court complexes houses family courts. They hear divorce, judicial separation, restitution of conjugal rights, maintenance, custody and guardianship cases. Most contested cases are first referred to counselling or mediation, and many end in mutual consent divorce after a settlement on maintenance, custody and belongings. Mutual consent petitions are filed in the family court with jurisdiction over the place of marriage, the last shared residence or the respondent's residence.
Wives, children and parents can claim maintenance under Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita before the family court, and wives can also claim it under their personal law and the domestic violence law. Applications under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act are filed before the magistrate, often with the help of a protection officer, and can lead to protection, residence and monetary orders. The Delhi Commission for Women and the women's helpline 181 provide support and counselling.
Complaints of cruelty and dowry harassment in Delhi are often first handled by the Crime Against Women cells of Delhi Police, which attempt counselling and conciliation before an FIR is registered in suitable cases. Advice from an advocate at this stage helps both sides understand the consequences of an FIR and the possibility of settlement.
Marriages solemnised in Delhi must be registered under the Delhi (Compulsory Registration of Marriage) Order, 2014. Hindu marriages are registered under the Hindu Marriage Act and other marriages under the relevant law, through the Revenue Department's online system and the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate for the area. Couples who want to marry under the Special Marriage Act, including inter-faith couples, give 30 days' notice to the marriage officer of the district where one of them has lived for at least 30 days. Our court marriage service and marriage registration service handle the documents and appointments. Couples facing threats can seek police protection; see our protection petition service.
Delhi Police is unusual among Indian police forces because it reports to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs rather than the Delhi Government. It is organised into districts, each with its own police stations, and specialised units such as the Special Cell, the Economic Offences Wing and the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit, which handles major cyber crime.
Our criminal lawyer guide and bail lawyer guide explain procedure under the new criminal laws in detail.
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Delhi's wholesale markets, trading hubs and service businesses generate a steady stream of money disputes. Traders in Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Karol Bagh, Nehru Place and Gandhi Nagar, and businesses across Okhla and Naraina, commonly need help with unpaid invoices, bounced cheques and broken contracts.
See the civil lawyer guide and the corporate lawyer guide.
Delhi's roads see thousands of accidents every year, and compensation claims are a major part of the district courts' work. Claims for death or injury are filed before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal in the complex with jurisdiction over the accident site, the claimant's residence or the defendant's address. Under the amended Motor Vehicles Act, the police must send a detailed accident report to the tribunal, and claims are expected to be filed within six months of the accident.
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Delhi has district consumer commissions across the city and the State Consumer Commission, while the National Commission also sits in New Delhi. Claims up to ₹50 lakh go to the district commission, claims from ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore to the state commission, and claims above ₹2 crore to the National Commission. Complaints can be filed where the consumer lives or works, and online through the e-Jagriti portal. Common Delhi complaints involve builders, insurers, airlines, coaching institutes, hospitals and e-commerce sellers. See the consumer lawyer guide.
Industrial disputes of workmen go to the Labour Courts and Industrial Tribunals of Delhi, while claims under specific laws, such as gratuity and minimum wages, go to the authorities under those laws. Central government employees take service disputes to the Central Administrative Tribunal's Principal Bench, and Delhi Government employees to the appropriate tribunal or the High Court. Complaints of sexual harassment at work go to the employer's internal committee or the local committee of the district. See the labour lawyer guide.
Life in Delhi brings frequent dealings with many authorities: the DDA for land and housing, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the NDMC for property tax, building plans and sealing or demolition, the Delhi Jal Board, electricity distribution companies, and central ministries. Orders of these bodies can often be appealed within the department, and writ petitions lie to the Delhi High Court where there is illegality, arbitrariness or denial of a hearing. Timelines in sealing and demolition matters are short, so early advice matters.
Traffic challans in Delhi can be paid online. Contested and pending challans are dealt with by designated courts, including virtual courts, and the legal services authorities periodically hold Lok Adalats where pending traffic challans can be settled.
| Body | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Delhi State Legal Services Authority | Free legal aid policy and services across Delhi, Lok Adalats, legal awareness, victim compensation schemes |
| District Legal Services Authorities | A front office in every district court complex for advice and legal aid applications, panel advocates, and Lok Adalats |
| Delhi High Court Legal Services Committee | Free legal aid for eligible people in High Court matters |
| Supreme Court Legal Services Committee | Free legal aid for eligible people in Supreme Court matters |
| Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre (Samadhan) | Mediation of disputes referred by the High Court |
| District mediation centres | Mediation of civil, family and commercial disputes referred by district courts, and pre-institution mediation for commercial disputes |
| Legal Aid Defence Counsel offices | Salaried defence counsel who represent accused people unable to pay for a lawyer |
National Lok Adalats are held across Delhi several times a year, usually on a Saturday, along with regular Lok Adalats in court complexes. Pending cases such as cheque bounce, motor accident claims, bank recovery, traffic challans and family disputes can be settled there by agreement, and the court fee already paid can be refunded when a pending case is settled.
Free legal services are a right for every woman and child, for SC and ST members, persons with disability, industrial workmen, anyone in custody, and anyone earning below the income ceiling. Call 15100 or visit the front office at your district court complex. Our legal aid eligibility checker tells you quickly if you qualify.
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Advocates who practise in Delhi are usually enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi. Their enrolment numbers commonly take the form D/serial number/year, such as D/1234/2016. Advocates enrolled with another state's Bar Council can also practise in Delhi; the Advocates Act allows enrolled advocates to practise across India.
If you have a serious complaint about an advocate enrolled in Delhi, such as taking money without doing the work or misusing your documents, you can complain to the Bar Council of Delhi, which can take disciplinary action under the Advocates Act. Complaints against advocates do not lie before consumer commissions, as the Supreme Court held in 2024; fee disputes can go to the civil court.
On Mara Vakil, advocates are listed only after our team checks their enrolment details, and profiles show only particulars allowed by the Bar Council of India Rules.
Much of what used to need a visit to an office in Delhi can now be started online. Your advocate may ask you to use some of these.
| Service | What you can do |
|---|---|
| eCourts services portal and app | Look up the stage, next date, orders and daily lists for Delhi district court cases by CNR, case number, party or advocate |
| Delhi High Court website | Case status, cause lists, judgments and e-filing for High Court matters |
| Delhi Revenue Department online services | Marriage registration, certificates such as income, caste and domicile, and appointments with the SDM |
| DDA portals | PM-UDAY applications for unauthorised colonies, leasehold to freehold conversion, allotment matters |
| MCD and NDMC portals | Property tax payment, mutation requests, building plan applications |
| Delhi Police online services | e-FIR for vehicle and property theft, lost article reports, tenant and domestic help verification |
| National cyber crime portal and 1930 | Reporting online fraud and cyber crime |
| e-Jagriti | Filing consumer complaints online |
| Legal services authorities | Legal aid applications and information about Lok Adalats |
Portal names and features change from time to time. If a service has moved, the department's main website or your advocate can point you to it.
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| Matter | Documents usually needed |
|---|---|
| Property purchase or dispute | Sale deed or title papers, chain of earlier documents, mutation record, property tax receipts, sanctioned plan, PM-UDAY documents for unauthorised colonies, DDA conversion deed where relevant |
| Tenancy | Rent agreement, rent receipts or bank entries, police verification record, notices exchanged |
| Marriage registration | Proof of age and address of both parties, photographs, marriage invitation or photographs of the ceremony, identity proof of witnesses |
| Divorce or maintenance | Marriage certificate or proof, address proofs, income details and salary slips, children's details, records of incidents |
| Criminal matter or bail | FIR copy, arrest memo or police notice, identity documents, surety documents |
| Succession | Death certificate, will if any, family tree, identity proofs of heirs, property and bank documents |
| Consumer complaint | Invoice or agreement, payment proof, complaint emails and replies, photographs or expert report |
Carry originals and two sets of photocopies to meetings and hearings, and keep scans on your phone.
Delhi courts work on weekdays, with hearings mainly in the morning and early afternoon. The Delhi High Court has a summer vacation, usually in June, when vacation benches hear urgent matters such as bail, injunctions and habeas corpus. District courts also have a summer break for civil courts, while criminal courts and urgent matters continue. If your matter is time-sensitive, ask your advocate whether it can be listed before a vacation bench, and plan filings so that limitation does not run out during holidays.
Fees are agreed directly between you and the advocate. Booking the call back costs nothing.
Each of these guides explains how that kind of matter is handled in Delhi, which courts hear it, and what to ask an advocate.
| Practice area | Common matters in Delhi | Delhi guide |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | Mutual consent and contested divorce, alimony, NCR jurisdiction questions | Divorce lawyer in Delhi |
| Family | Maintenance, custody, domestic violence, CAW cell complaints | Family lawyer in Delhi |
| Criminal | FIRs, police notices, trials, quashing petitions in the High Court | Criminal lawyer in Delhi |
| Bail | Regular and anticipatory bail in district courts and the High Court | Bail lawyer in Delhi |
| Property | Unauthorised colonies, DDA conversion, partition, RERA, title checks | Property lawyer in Delhi |
| Civil | Recovery suits, injunctions, defamation, summary suits | Civil lawyer in Delhi |
| Consumer | Builders, insurers, airlines, hospitals, coaching institutes | Consumer lawyer in Delhi |
| Corporate | NCLT matters, contracts, arbitration, startups | Corporate lawyer in Delhi |
| Cyber | Online fraud, sextortion, hacked accounts, IFSO and cyber police stations | Cyber lawyer in Delhi |
| Labour | Termination, unpaid wages, gratuity, POSH complaints | Labour lawyer in Delhi |
| Tax | Income tax and GST notices, ITAT appeals, Delhi High Court writs | Tax lawyer in Delhi |
| Wills | Wills, probate, succession certificates, property transfer after death | Will lawyer in Delhi |
For document work such as affidavits, agreements, notices, name change, court marriage and gazette publication, Delhi residents can book our legal services online with no advance payment.
Check whether the colony is in the regularisation list, whether the seller can obtain PM-UDAY documents, and whether earlier power-of-attorney sales are complete. Never rely on a GPA sale alone.
Notices from the MCD or DDA often give short time to respond. Get advice the same week; appeals and writ petitions have to be filed quickly to be effective.
Many shops in older markets are under protected tenancies with very low rents. Eviction and rent revision follow the Rent Control Act's specific grounds.
With families spread across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, choosing where to file divorce, maintenance and domestic violence cases affects travel, time and strategy.
Fake investment apps, job scams and "digital arrest" calls target Delhi residents daily. Calling 1930 within the first hour gives the best chance of freezing money.
Service matters, allotments and licences involving central ministries are often heard in Delhi tribunals or the Delhi High Court even when the employee works elsewhere.
Fees in Delhi vary more than almost anywhere else in India. An advocate appearing in a district court complex for a routine matter charges very differently from a senior advocate arguing in the High Court or Supreme Court. Most advocates charge either per appearance, by stage, or a lump sum for a defined task such as a mutual consent divorce, a bail application or a legal notice. Court fees, typing, copies and clerk's charges are extra, and in money and property suits the court fee, calculated on the value of the claim, can be significant.
Read the guide to legal fees in India. Mara Vakil charges clients nothing to find or consult advocates, and takes no commission from advocates' fees.
Every case turns on its own facts. A verified advocate can tell you what applies to yours.
At each stage, the court may refer the parties to mediation, and many Delhi disputes settle before evidence is complete.
Mara Vakil is a technology platform and not a law firm. Once you send your matter through the form here, it goes first to enrolment-verified advocates in Delhi and the nearby NCR cities who handle that kind of case, without your phone number. One advocate accepts, receives your number and calls you to fix a consultation. If nobody nearby is available, the request widens to the rest of the state and then to advocates across India.
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Parents and senior citizens in Delhi who are not being looked after can approach the maintenance tribunal set up under the 2007 senior citizens' maintenance law; in Delhi these tribunals function through the revenue authorities. Delhi's rules under the Act also provide a procedure for senior citizens to seek the eviction of children or relatives from their property in cases of ill-treatment, with the District Magistrate playing a central role. Proceedings are meant to be quick and simple, and lawyers cannot appear for the parties before the tribunal itself, though advice beforehand helps. Elderline 14567 offers guidance.
Delhi draws lakhs of students to coaching centres in areas like Mukherjee Nagar, Old Rajinder Nagar and Laxmi Nagar, and to universities across the city. Disputes over refund of fees, misleading promises, unsafe premises and rental accommodation are common. Many of these can go to the district consumer commission; tenancy and deposit disputes follow general tenancy law. Students facing police matters or online harassment should take advice early.
Every woman in Delhi qualifies for free legal aid, whatever she earns. Support is available from the Delhi Commission for Women, the 181 helpline, protection officers under the domestic violence law, and one-stop centres. Complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace go to the employer's internal committee or, for smaller establishments and domestic workers, the local committee constituted for the district.
Unpaid wages, unsafe conditions and disputes with placement agencies are common problems. Workers can approach the labour department, the labour courts and the legal services authorities, which provide free legal aid to industrial workers.
NRIs often need help with inherited flats, DDA conversions, tenants who will not leave, or matrimonial cases filed in Delhi. A Delhi advocate can act through a power of attorney executed abroad, attested at an Indian mission or apostilled and stamped in Delhi, and the court often permits NRIs to join hearings by video.
When a property owner in Delhi dies, the family usually needs to transfer the property and bank accounts. With a will, heirs can proceed on the basis of the will and consent of other heirs, or seek probate, which is no longer compulsory anywhere in India since the 2025 amendment but gives the strongest protection where a dispute is likely. In Delhi, probate and letters of administration for estates above the pecuniary limit are granted by the Delhi High Court, and below it by the District Judge. Without a will, families need a succession certificate for bank deposits and securities, issued by the civil court, and the DDA, the MCD and housing societies have their own procedures for mutation and substitution. See the will lawyer guide and our succession certificate service.
These examples are invented from common situations and do not describe real people.
A couple in Sangam Vihar bought their home in 2012 on a power of attorney, agreement to sell and will. When they try to sell, the buyer's bank refuses a loan. Their advocate checks that the colony is in the regularisation list, helps them apply for PM-UDAY documents with their payment proofs, and resolves a missing link in the earlier chain with an affidavit from a previous owner. The sale goes through once the conveyance deed is issued.
After separating, a woman returns to live with her parents in Delhi and wants maintenance. Her advocate explains that she can file the maintenance and domestic violence applications in Delhi, where she now lives, while a divorce petition might be filed elsewhere. She files in the family court in Delhi, and interim maintenance is ordered within months.
A shopkeeper in a south Delhi market receives a notice alleging misuse of a residential property. His advocate files a reply with his documents the same week and, when the notice is confirmed, an appeal before the appellate tribunal. The sealing is stayed while the appeal is heard.
A student who left a coaching programme after the centre changed its schedule and faculty asks for a refund. After a legal notice is ignored, he files a complaint before the district consumer commission himself, with advice from an advocate on the documents, and the commission orders a partial refund with costs.
A Ludhiana supplier receives a bounced cheque from a Delhi trader and presents it through his bank in Delhi. His advocate sends the notice within time and files the complaint in the Delhi court with jurisdiction over his bank branch. The case settles at the first hearing when the trader pays by instalments.
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Only if Delhi courts have jurisdiction on the facts. Property and offences in Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram or Faridabad generally go to Uttar Pradesh or Haryana courts.
The Supreme Court has held that these do not transfer ownership. In unauthorised colonies, use the PM-UDAY process.
The Act does not apply where monthly rent exceeds ₹3,500, which excludes most modern tenancies.
Most matters start in the district courts, where advocates who practise daily in that complex are often the best fit.
Money and property disputes are decided by courts. Police act on offences; they cannot decide who owns property.
Have your documents ready? Book a free call back and share the details with the advocate.
Identify the court complex or tribunal where your matter will be heard, and look for an advocate who practises there regularly in your kind of case. Check their Bar Council enrolment, meet them with your documents, and agree the fee in writing. You can describe your matter on Mara Vakil and an enrolled Delhi advocate who handles it will call you.
Delhi's district courts work from seven court complexes: Tis Hazari, Patiala House, Karkardooma, Saket, Rohini, Dwarka and Rouse Avenue, each serving one or more judicial districts.
Three things decide it: the type of case, its value and the place where it arose. Criminal cases go to the complex attached to the police station; civil suits to the court where the defendant lives, the property is or the cause of action arose; suits above ₹2 crore to the Delhi High Court.
Civil suits valued above ₹2 crore, high-value commercial and intellectual property suits, writ petitions, certain arbitration matters, and appeals and revisions from the district courts.
Only if Delhi courts have jurisdiction, for example because the other side lives in Delhi or the cause of action arose there. Otherwise cases go to the courts of Uttar Pradesh or Haryana.
Ask for the enrolment number, usually in the form D/number/year for the Bar Council of Delhi, see the Bar Council identity card, and check the details with the Bar Council.
At the legal services authority front office in any district court complex, through the Delhi State Legal Services Authority, or by calling 15100.
Claims up to ₹50 lakh go to the district consumer commission, ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crore to the Delhi State Commission, and above ₹2 crore to the National Commission in New Delhi. You can file online through e-Jagriti.
Only if the monthly rent is ₹3,500 or less, and the premises are covered by the Act. Most modern tenancies are governed by the rent agreement and general law.
Generally 6 percent for men, 4 percent for women and 5 percent for joint ownership by a man and a woman, plus a registration fee of about 1 percent. Confirm current rates before registration.
Apply under the DDA's PM-UDAY scheme with your documents and payment proofs. An advocate can help with the application and with gaps in the earlier chain of documents.
Apply online through the Delhi Revenue Department and appear before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of your area with documents and witnesses. Marriages under the Special Marriage Act need 30 days' notice to the marriage officer.
Delhi Police accepts online e-FIRs for certain categories such as motor vehicle theft and theft of property, and online reports of lost articles. Other complaints can be made at any police station, which must register a zero FIR if needed.
Dial 1930 straight away, file a report on the national cyber crime portal, and follow it up with your district's cyber police station.
At the Central Administrative Tribunal, whose Principal Bench sits in New Delhi.
By the Delhi High Court for estates above its pecuniary limit, and by the District Judge for smaller estates. Probate is no longer compulsory but remains useful where a dispute is likely.
Simple matters such as bail or mutual consent divorce may finish in weeks or months; contested civil and criminal cases often take years. Mediation and Lok Adalats can resolve many disputes faster.
Many Delhi courts hold hybrid hearings, and the court may allow you to join by video in suitable cases. Your advocate can tell you when your physical presence is needed.
Ask an advocate who practises in the area, or check the Delhi district courts' website and the eCourts portal, which list courts and their jurisdiction.
Before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal with jurisdiction over the accident site, the claimant's residence or the defendant's address. Claims should be filed within six months of the accident.
Reply to the notice within the time given, then appeal to the appellate authority or tribunal named in the order. Writ petitions lie to the Delhi High Court in cases of illegality or denial of hearing. Act quickly, as timelines are short.
Delhi's rules under the senior citizens' maintenance law provide a procedure for senior citizens to seek eviction of children or relatives who ill-treat them, with the District Magistrate playing a central role.
The court with jurisdiction over the branch of the bank where the payee presented the cheque for collection.
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Describe your matter in a few lines with the area or police station and any deadline. Enrolment-verified advocates in Delhi who handle such cases can see it, and the one who accepts will call you. It is free for clients.
Describe your matter, freeThis page gives general information about Indian law as of 15 October 2026. It is not legal advice and is not an advertisement or solicitation by any advocate, as restricted by Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules. Laws and court practice change, and the right answer depends on your facts; confirm the position for your case with an advocate before acting. Mara Vakil is a technology platform, not a law firm. Read our disclaimer.
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