How it works

People’s Court is a neutral arbitration forum. Both sides agree to resolve their dispute here; the tribunal hears each side’s filings and evidence, applies the governing rules or contract, and issues a written, reasoned award. Where funds are escrowed, the award releases them.

The two roles

The plaintiff is the party that opens the case and claims something — a refund, a payment, a release of escrow. The defendant is the party responding. Each side files only its own submissions and cannot see the other side’s filing until both are in — so neither side can tailor its story to the other’s.

If you’re the plaintiff

Upload the governing contract or agreement and every document that proves your version of events: invoices, messages, delivery records, transaction hashes. The tribunal decides only from what’s on the record. You carry the burden of proof — a fact you assert but can’t back up will not carry the day. State clearly what you’re asking for; the tribunal cannot award more than you claim.

If you’re the defendant

You’ll receive an invite link to join the case. File your side of the story with your own evidence — the tribunal treats an unanswered case as untested, not as admitted, but a documented defense is far stronger than silence. If you have a defense (you already paid, the deadline was extended, the claim came too late), raise it in your filing: defenses you don’t raise aren’t considered.

How the decision is made

Once both sides have filed and confirmed their positions, the record is frozen and the tribunal decides: it weighs the evidence under the governing law, resolves each disputed fact by burden of proof, and writes a reasoned opinion. Higher-stakes cases are decided by a three-member panel that deliberates before ruling; every decision passes deterministic validation — the award has to add up, trace to the record, and stay within what was asked — before it can issue.

What you receive

A plain-language summary — who prevailed, what happens to the money, and why in a few sentences — followed by the full written opinion: the facts found, the legal standard applied, the analysis, and the funds instructions. If the tribunal relied on outside legal authority, its sources are disclosed with the award.

How funds settle

If the disputed amount is held in escrow (including on-chain escrow), the signed award releases it exactly as the funds instructions state — to you, to the other side, or split. If there is no escrow, the award is a formal decision record stating who owes what; enforcement follows your arbitration agreement and applicable law.

The full procedural rules are published at Rules.