United Arab Emirates: Sheikh Mohammed issues decree on new judicial authority in Dubai

Under the Decree, the name of the Judicial Tribunal for Dubai Courts and DIFC Courts will be changed to ‘Judicial Authority for the Resolution of Jurisdictional Disputes between DIFC Courts and Dubai Judicial Authorities’, provided it appears in any applicable legislation in the Emirate of Dubai.

According to the Decree, the new Authority will be chaired by the President of the Court of Cassation of Dubai Courts, while the Vice President of the Supreme Court of DIFC Courts will act as Vice President of the Authority. The members of the Authority also include the Secretary General of the Dubai Judicial Council, the President of the Court of Appeal of Dubai Courts, the President of the Court of First Instance of Dubai Courts and two judges of the DIFC Courts selected by the Chief Justice of the DIFC. Courts.

The Chairman of the Authority is authorized to appoint an employee of any of Dubai’s judicial bodies to assume the role of Secretary General of the Authority.

Under the Decree, the Authority is tasked with determining the court competent to resolve disputes, specifying enforceable judgments in case of conflicts, and implementing tasks assigned by the Ruler of Dubai or the Chairman of the Dubai Judicial Council.

According to the Decree, the decisions issued by the Authority are final and are not subject to any appeal.

Furthermore, the legal standards set by the Judicial Authority in decisions within the scope of the Decree will be considered binding judicial principles for all courts, including the DIFC Courts. Any subsequent ruling that conflicts with these rules is subject to appeal through the legally established channels.

The Chairman of the Dubai Judicial Council will issue the necessary decisions to implement this Decree which replaces Decree No. 19 of 2016 on the Judicial Tribunal of Dubai Courts and DIFC Courts.

This Decree renders void any other legislation that may contradict it. The decisions issued as part of Decree No. 19 of 2016 will remain in force as long as they do not contradict this Decree, until new ones replace them.

Decree No. 29 of 2024 will be published in the Official Gazette, and comes into force the day after its publication.