The Dutch Court Bailiff

Cornelis Hendrik Van Rhee, Maastricht University School of Law, has published The History of the 'Huissier De Justice' in the Low Countries in Enforcement and Enforceability: Tradition and Reform (C. H. van Rhee and A. Uzelac eds.; Antwerp: Intersentia, 2010) (M-EPLI Working Paper 2011/15). Here is the abstract.

The present paper discusses the history of the huissier de justice (court bailiff or ‘deurwaarder’) in the Netherlands. The author demonstrates that the Dutch huissier has undergone a metamorphosis during the last few centuries. He has changed from a badly educated civil servant with a questionable reputation into a highly educated professional. The reasons underlying this metamorphosis are analysed. Additionally, some of the problems caused as a result of the introduction of market forces in the profession are discussed.

Download the essay from SSRN at the link.