Smart Contract Disputes

Self-executing code on blockaches was supposed to eliminate litigation, but disputes proliferate. Oracle failures, coding errors, and governance attacks generate complex jurisdictional questions. Courts struggle with whether smart contracts constitute binding agreements or mere automated escrow. Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) lack legal personality in most jurisdictions, leaving participants personally liable. The gap between code-is-law ideology and legal reality creates novel arbitration demands as the technology outpaces regulatory adaptation.