1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of NyayaSetu (“nyaysetu.xyz”), its APIs, practice operating system tools, and related services operated by NyayaSetu Technologies (“we”, “us”, or “our”).

By creating an account, browsing advocate profiles, scheduling a chamber consultation, utilizing our AI triage assistant (NyayaMitra), or managing legal practice dockets through NyayaSetu, you agree to be legally bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately discontinue use of the platform.

2. Description of Services & Platform Nature

NyayaSetu is an eCourts-verified legal service marketplace, matchmaker, and practice operating system engineered to democratize access to justice in India. Platform capabilities include:

• Verified Advocate Directory: A searchable public directory of advocates verified against State Bar Council enrollments and eCourts NJDG cause list registries.
• AI Legal Triage (NyayaMitra): Natural language classification of civil and criminal grievances mapped against statutory enactments (e.g., BNS 2023, BNSS 2023, CPC, NI Act).
• Chamber Appointment Scheduling: Direct, calendar-synchronized appointment booking with verified practitioners.
• Practice OS for Advocates: Digital court diary, hearing status notifications, case notes, and milestone management.
• Transparent Escrow Service: Secure milestone-based disbursement infrastructure for transparent legal professional engagements.

3. Bar Council of India (BCI) Rule 36 Compliance

NyayaSetu strictly operates in full compliance with the standards laid down by the Bar Council of India:

• No Solicitation or Advertising: Advocate profiles on NyayaSetu display solely factual, verifiable credentials (enrollment number, year of enrollment, academic qualifications, verified court affiliations, and public judicial disposal statistics).
• Voluntary Directory: Advocates voluntarily register and claim their eCourts profiles. The platform does not claim one advocate is superior to another or tout any practitioner.
• Information Exchange: Client inquiries are initiated exclusively at the free choice and volition of the litigant seeking legal counsel.

4. Non-Legal Firm & AI Disclaimer

The AI Legal Assistant (NyayaMitra AI) provides educational information, statutory section cross-references (such as Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 sections), and administrative triage summaries. Outputs generated by NyayaMitra do not constitute formal legal advice, do not create an advocate-client relationship, and must never substitute for personalized counsel from a qualified advocate registered with a State Bar Council.

5. Zero Commission Policy

NyayaSetu champions transparent, accessible justice. We enforce an uncompromising Zero Platform Commission (0%) policy on advocate professional fees.

• 100% of professional consultation and retainer fees agreed upon between a client and an advocate are transferred directly to the advocate's verified bank account upon agreed milestone completion.
• NyayaSetu does not deduct referral commissions or cuts from professional legal fees, avoiding any split of professional fees in accordance with legal ethics.
• Any minimal banking gateway charges or third-party payment processing fees (if applicable) are displayed transparently before transaction confirmation.

6. Escrow & Milestone Deliverables

Where clients and advocates elect to use our milestone payment protocol:

• Fund Safeguarding: Client funds are deposited into an RBI-regulated escrow account and held conditionally pending completion of clearly defined milestones (e.g., Drafting of Petition, Filing & Verification, Court Hearing Appearance).
• Disbursement Authorization: Funds are disbursed to the advocate only upon client sign-off or verification of court proceedings/filings.
• Dispute Resolution: In case of disputes concerning milestone fulfillment, the parties agree to a 14-day collaborative resolution window prior to triggering formal arbitration.

7. User Eligibility & Account Obligations

To access NyayaSetu, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least 18 years of age and legally competent to enter into binding agreements under the Indian Contract Act, 1872.
• If registering as an Advocate, you possess a valid license to practice law issued by a State Bar Council and are in good standing without active disciplinary disbarment.
• All registration credentials, bar license documents, and contact details provided are accurate, truthful, and up-to-date.
• You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your authentication credentials.

8. Intermediary Status & Limitation of Liability

NyayaSetu qualifies as an “intermediary” under Section 2(1)(w) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Consequently:

• We are protected under the safe harbor provisions of Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 for third-party user communications, advocate submissions, and case updates.
• NyayaSetu is not liable for any acts, omissions, advice, negligence, breach of confidentiality, or professional malpractice committed by any advocate or client engaging via the platform.
• To the maximum extent permitted by applicable Indian law, NyayaSetu shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages arising out of your use of the platform.

9. Intellectual Property

All software code, database architecture, algorithms (including the NyayaSetu Trust Score™ engine), visual designs, branding, and logos are the proprietary intellectual property of NyayaSetu Technologies. Unauthorized scraping, decompiling, or commercial mirroring of platform content without explicit written consent is strictly prohibited.

10. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms of Service and any contractual relationship arising between you and NyayaSetu shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India.

Any disputes, claims, or controversies arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent civil courts situated at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

11. Grievance Officer & Notice

For queries, notices, or grievance reporting under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021:

12. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to revise or modify these Terms at any time. Any changes will become effective immediately upon posting to this URL. Your continued use of the platform constitutes your agreement to all revised terms.