Fact Sheet HALF YEAR 2021
CFI (INCLUDING TECHNOLOGY & CONSTRUCTION DIVISION AND ARBITRATION DIVISION)
TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS ACROSS ALL DIVISIONS
3.4
2.8
BILLION
BILLION
Registered legal practitioners in 2021 Law firms
Individual lawyers
161 @difccourts
817
difccourts
@difccourts
www.difccourts.ae
difccourts
Fact Sheet Half Year 2021
KEY HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • • •
FEBRUARY: Launch of Courts of Space initiative FEBRUARY: Appointment of four new judges FEBRUARY: MoU with Ajman Media City Free Zone APRIL: MoU with Ajman Chamber of Commerce and Industry APRIL: Formation of Courts of Space Working Group MAY: Adoption of Ethaq electronic seal JUNE: Cooperation agreement with Emaar Properties JUNE: MoU with Umm Al Quwain (UAQ) Chamber of Commerce and Industry
DIFC COURTS TEAM
59% FEMALE
JUDICIAL BENCH The DIFC Courts has been able to attract some of the world’s most experienced international judges, as well as retaining leading Emirati judges with trans-systemic expertise across civil and common law.
41% MALE
UK
38%
Developing Emirati talent
4
5
UAE
1
of the DIFC Courts team are UAE nationals
Malaysia
3 Australia
OUTREACH The DIFC Courts is committed to transparency and customer engagement. This requires regular and robust communications with stakeholders conducted via:
Quarterly newsletters
Social media
Media relations
Annual Report
Website updates
Case updates
eREGISTRY Among the many technologies the courts have pioneered to increase access to justice, is the region’s first eRegistry in 2009, to the first digitally integrated courtroom and state-of-the-art e-Court system, as well as the region’s first ‘paperless’ e-bundling cloud solution in 2018. These early tech adoptions are now the bedrock that enables the DIFC Courts to maintain uninterrupted operations for court users. By increasing utilisation of our existing videoconferencing and teleconferencing facilities for applications and hearings, we are enabling court users and the public to access extensive eServices remotely from any smartphone, tablet or desktop device. This enables remote 24/7 secure case progression and administration, e-payments and practitioner registration facilities.
Registered legal practitioners
Law firms
161
Individual lawyers
817
WILLS SERVICE
Total Wills registered
543
Video conference registration
Virtual Registry
Physical appointment
Online automated drafting
Fact Sheet Half Year 2021
COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE (CFI)
Total value of claims filed
AED 2.8
BILLION
CFI (Including Technology & Construction Division and Arbitration Division)
SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SCT) The first of its kind in the region, the SCT was set up in 2007 to enable access to justice in a swift and efficient manner. The SCT operates with a community approach that promotes settlement. Cases in the SCT are resolved in an expeditious, cost-efficient manner without the need for lawyers. The SCT can hear:
Claims within the jurisdiction of the DIFC where:
The amount or value of the claims does not exceed AED 500,000;
OR
The claim relates to the employment or former employment of a party and the amount or value of the claims exceed AED 500,000 and all parties to the claim elect in writing that it be heard by the SCT. There is no value limit for the SCT’s elective jurisdiction in the context of employment claims;
OR
In the context of claims which are not employment related, the amount or value of the claim does not exceed AED 1 million; and all parties elect in writing that it can be heard by SCT, such election can be made in the underlying contract (if any) or subsequently.
NUMBER OF CLAIMS FILED
201
CASES
4-6 WEEKS
average time for SCT cases to be resolved after successful service
‘SMART’ SCT Region’s first ‘Smart’ SCT launched in 2016, enabling parties to resolve disputes from any location by participating via smartphone, tablet, or desktop device. Only the judge need be present in the purpose-built facility in Dubai, with screens showing the parties and a control panel making it possible to either open the virtual courtroom to all, or switch to private mode.
20.4
MILLION
Fact Sheet Half Year 2021
ENFORCEMENT Total value of claims filed
568 MILLION
COURT OF APPEAL (CA) The Court of Appeal deals with a variety of civil and commercial disputes. It comprises a panel of three judges, and deals with:
• Appeals filed against judgments and awards made by the CFI. • Interpretations of any article of the DIFC’s laws based upon the request of any of the DIFC’s establishments, provided that the establishment obtains leave of the Chief Justice in this regard. Such interpretation shall have the power of law.
COOPERATION WITH OTHER COURTS AT HOME AND ABROAD The DIFC Courts have signed many important memoranda with local and international courts. The DIFC Courts’ money judgments can be enforced internationally through treaties and reciprocal arrangements with common law courts overseas.
Commercial Court of England & Wales
The Supreme court of The Republic of Kazakhstan
High Court of Ireland
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY)
Shanghai High People’s Court
Jordanian Ministry of Justice
The Paris Convention
The Riyadh Convention
Abu Dhabi
The Tunisian Republic The Arab Republic of Egypt
Hangzhou Arbitration Commission
Ras Al Khaimah
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
The National Court Administration of the Supreme Court of Korea
The GCC Convention High Court of Zambia
The High Court of Kenya
The Supreme Court of Singapore
Federal Court of Malaysia
The Federal Court of Australia
The Riyadh Convention (1983) The GCC convention (1996)
The New South Wales Supreme Court
Treaties
Memorandum of Guidance/Memorandum of Understanding
PRO BONO PROGRAMME Launched in 2009 and the first of its kind in the region, the Pro Bono Programme was created for those who cannot afford a lawyer to receive access to free legal advice. Services range from basic advice to full case management and representation in proceedings.
Volunteer firms
58
Individual lawyers
112
Individuals that received online advice
73