Legal Remedies for Resolving Security Disputes in Oral Debt Agreements
Keywords:
oral agreement; debt agreement; security; default ; dispute resolution; legal protectionAbstract
Oral debt agreements remain common in Indonesia, especially in communities that rely on trust and kinship, yet the security attached to them is legally fragile. This article examines (1) the legal force of security in an oral debt agreement and (2) the legal remedies available to resolve disputes arising from it. The study uses normative juridical research with statute and conceptual approaches; primary, secondary and tertiary legal materials were gathered through library research and analysed qualitatively, descriptively and interpretively. The findings show that an oral debt agreement is valid and binding under Articles 1320 and 1338 of the Indonesian Civil Code as long as the four conditions of validity are met. However, the security agreed orally is not bound by an authentic deed and is not registered, so it carries no executorial force and its enforceability depends entirely on proof. When the debtor denies the agreement, the creditor must prove both the debt and the security by witnesses, transfer records, presumptions, admission or oath. Disputes may be settled outside court through negotiation and family-based settlement, or in court through a warning letter , a default or small-claims lawsuit, and conservatory attachment (conservatoir beslag). The article concludes that debt agreements with security should be made in writing, preferably before a notary, and that creditors should secure supporting evidence at an early stage
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