Before filing a lawsuit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) you need a clear grasp of the local Dubai courts procedures. This article provides a short explanation of the Dubai court system process alongside what happens during legal proceedings.
Starting a Claim
Any lawsuit begins when the claimant files their case to the appropriate Court of First Instance. A claim must reflect both the dispute’s content and the requested relief. A Dubai court fee amounting to 7.5% of the claim’s value but limited to AED 30,000 must be paid. Dubai court documents need to use either the Arabic language or official translation service.
The Dubai courts bailiff conducts the claim delivery to defendants after submission resulting in court schedule setup for a hearing within 2–3 weeks. When a defendant becomes difficult to locate the court will either authorize investigative work or approve newspaper service of legal documents.
Dubai Court Hearings
Hearings are brief and administrative. Dubai court parties write formal descriptions of their legal arguments after they have been filed. Lawyers need to show their clients’ designated representatives when suing them on behalf of their clients. Hearings occur every 2–3 weeks with possible multiple sessions until the judge finds the information compelling.
Dubai courts depart from common-law systems because they function without requiring witness testimony. The judiciary system concentrates its judicial process on written documents supplemented by expert opinion documents.
Role of Experts
When a Dubai courts faces complex business cases or valuation matters, they often select expert parties to evaluate the evidence. Expert findings based on document analysis and party meetings produce reports that powerfully affect judicial outcomes.
Disclosure and Evidence
Dubai courts operate without established reporting requirements regarding evidence presentation. Each party selects which documents to show in Dubai court proceedings. During the review process court-appointed experts hold the authority to ask for extra documentation.
Timelines and Appeals
Expert participation typically extends Dubai court proceedings from 9–18 months to two years at the Court of First Instance. Proceedings extending to two years become possible when experts join cases. To appeal to the Dubai Court of Appeal you must submit your appeal within a 30-day period which allows challenges to both factual elements or legal aspects. Additional Dubai court of appeal must be based on legal matters only while aiming for claims above AED 200,000 in value and follow a 30-day deadline.
Costs and Settlement at Dubai Court Cases
Parties who win their cases receive only nominal reimbursement to pay for Dubai court fees alongside expert fees yet do not secure full payment of their legal costs. The United Arab Emirates does not accept “without prejudice” communication as evidence which allows any document admission as evidence regardless of settlement intentions.
Enforcement and Interim Relief at Dubai Court Cases
The enforcement of money judgments depends on attachment applications which allow court order attachments against defendants’ bank accounts and properties. Requests for interim relief may only include property attachments. Claims need valid evidence demonstrating both the legitimacy of their Dubai courts case along with their expected non-payment risk followed by a court pledge.
Notification of attachment orders typically happens within 24–48 hours prior to requiring parties to file their formal claim within eight days.
Final Advice
Dubai litigation exists as a system requiring substantial procedural work including extensive documentation. Legal representation paired with a power of attorney combined with Arabic-translated documents needs to be secured before submitting a claim.