The UAE is introducing new inheritance courts in a major overhaul of the civil justice system
The UAE has issued a new Federal decree introducing sweeping changes to the civil code, marking an important step in reforming the country’s justice system.
These amendments strengthen judicial efficiency, expand appellate rights and introduce new mechanisms to support accuracy, speed and efficiency in material matters.
The law reflects the UAE’s commitment
The new law regulates the direct establishment of inheritance cases by a decision issued by the President of the Political Association or the head of the Local Judicial Authority, without requiring the agreement from the estates.
UAE Civil Procedures
This change is designed to speed up the resolution of inheritance disputes and streamline related processes.
The law also allows for the creation of special courts to hear certain civil or commercial cases, in the application or in the agreement of the parties.
These courts operate under the same rules of procedure, supporting judicial expertise and improving the efficiency of dispute management.
The amendments significantly strengthen the role of technical expertise in judicial decisions.
Competent courts may now engage local or international experts to prepare or review expert reports, discuss reports directly with experts, and request corrections or clarifications. The measure ensures that court decisions are based on accurate, robust and reliable technical findings.
The renewal of the UAE court
To emphasize the discipline of the procedure, appelllants must now include in their brief the judgment referred to, its date, the reasons for filing the appeal and any requests.
Appeals that do not meet these requirements will be considered inadmissible. This replaces the previous process, which allowed the parties to complete the grounds of appeal at the first hearing, and raise the standard of seriousness and compliance with the application process.
The main change introduced by the law concerns the right to file appeals before the court of cassation. This now applies not only to judgments but also to decisions issued by appellate courts.
The expanded statute improves judicial review and provides litigants defending abuse with impactful decisions.
These amendments also strengthen the authority of the Attorney General, who is now empowered to file complaints independently or at the request of the Minister of Justice or the Minister of Local Justice Authorities.
This applies even if the parties did not exercise their right to file a complaint or missed the deadline for complaints, strengthening the integrity and accountability of the judicial system.
By adopting these changes, the UAE is underlining its commitment to building a modern, efficient and transparent system.
The amendments further the principles of Swift Justice, protect the rights of the litigant and support the development of a strong legal environment consistent with the nation’s progress with the rule of law.
