An annual increase of 96% during the first half of 2020
2.2 billion dirhams the value of cases pending before the courts of "Dubai International Financial"
The center's courts have harnessed their digital infrastructure to accommodate the rapidly rising number of cases. From the source
The DIFC Courts revealed a significant increase in the volume of cases brought before the Court of First Instance during the first half of this year, amounting to 96% on an annual basis, with a total value of 2.2 billion dirhams, while the total value of the lawsuits for the enforcement of judgments submitted reached 192.4 million dirhams. An increase of 15%.
The center explained that the cases presented included the banking and financial sector, construction, real estate and manufacturing, regarding disputes related to breaching contracts, non-payment of due payments, wills and their proof, and employment issues.
A significant increase
Yesterday, the Dubai International Financial Center courts issued their statistics for the first six months of this year, showing a significant increase in the number of cases filed before the English-language public law system in Dubai.
The center stated in a statement that the cases brought before the Court of First Instance recorded a significant increase in volume, by 96% on an annual basis, reaching a total value of 2.2 billion dirhams during the first half of 2020, including arbitration-related cases, with an average value of 88.5 million dirhams per case.
Sectors
According to the statement, the cases brought before the Court of First Instance covered a wide range of sectors, including the banking and financial sector, construction, real estate, and manufacturing, in connection with disputes related to breaching contracts, non-payment of due payments, wills and their proof, and employment issues.
There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of cases voluntarily presented before the Center's courts during the current year, as more than 70% of the cases brought before the Court of First Instance and the cases related to arbitration came from parties who chose to resort to the DIFC courts to resolve their disputes.
Enforcement of judgments
The total value of the lawsuits to enforce the judgments submitted reached 192.4 million dirhams in the first half of 2020, indicating the growing confidence of companies in the ability of the courts to enforce judgments, with an increase of 15% when compared to the first six months of last year. The Small Claims Court, the first of its kind in the region, witnessed a strong growth in the volume of cases brought before it in the first half of this year, with the registration of 213 cases with a total value of 24 million dirhams.
The increased awareness of these legal channels and their innovative use of technology, including the launch of the first "virtual court" in the region, prompted more parties to resort to it, as 50% of the cases brought before the Small Claims Court came from parties who preferred to resort to it voluntarily to resolve their disputes. .
New systems
In light of the global Covid-19 crisis, the DIFC Courts have created new digital systems to facilitate communication and dealings with their Wills Service Center, as they have redesigned their services in response to the government's nationwide initiative to encourage staying at home and limit the spread of the virus.
With the commitment of all individuals and companies to government instructions regarding staying at home and working remotely, the DIFC Courts have developed the feature of making video calls over the Internet to connect clients with the will registration service, whether via a smartphone, tablet or computer to record their wills remotely from The comfort and safety of their homes.
The perfect choice
Vice President of the Courts of the Dubai International Financial Center, Judge Omar Al Muhairi, said: "The element of choice has always been a critical factor for individuals and companies when determining the most appropriate jurisdiction to resolve their disputes."
"For more than a decade, the DIFC Courts have proven their ability to provide the best choice for businesses, while ensuring the level of service for which the leading international commercial courts are famous," he added.
Al Muhairi pointed out, “At a time when the UAE has become the largest attraction for foreign investments in the Middle East, our legal framework has continued to enhance its reliability, which has contributed to highlighting the total value of the Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai and the UAE as a whole, to investors and the international business community.”
Technical innovation
For her part, Secretary General of the DIFC Courts Registry, Amna Al Owais, said, "Technical innovation is now the cornerstone that has enabled the DIFC Courts to maintain all their basic services during this challenging period." "By increasing the utilization of our existing facilities to conduct videoconferencing, we have been able to enhance court users and the public's access to comprehensive electronic services remotely from any smart device," she added.
Al Owais stated that among the many technologies that the DIFC Courts have adopted to increase access to legal services is the electronic claim filing system, which was the first of its kind in the region when it was introduced in 2009, along with a digitally integrated courtroom with the latest management systems. Electronic courts in 2017, and the introduction of the region's first paperless electronic collection solution in 2018.
New section
In February 2020, the DIFC Courts established their own arbitration division, to accommodate the rapidly increasing number of arbitration-related cases, following the approach of the Construction and Technology Cases Division they launched in 2017.
The new department will be headed by Judge Shamlan Al Sawalhi, who has extensive specialized experience in judicial supervision, registration and case management.
The streamlining of arbitration cases under the new section has increased practical efficiency with the ability to rapidly review requests for interim measures and court orders mechanisms.
Operational efficiency
As part of the UAE government's commitment to effectively employ advanced digital technologies and platforms to continue serving the public, the DIFC Courts have employed their digital media to maintain contact with court users throughout the restrictions imposed during the Corona pandemic.
Statistics confirm that the Dubai Financial Center Courts not only maintained the provision of all their services, but also succeeded in raising operational efficiency, as evidenced by their issuance of more than 500 digital orders and judgments over the first six months of 2020.
15th %
An increase in the total value of enforcement actions
Cases included the banking and financial sector, construction, real estate, and manufacturing.