Fact Sheet 2019

FACT SHEET FULL YEAR 2019

TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED

SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL

CFI (INCLUDING ARBITRATION)

TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED

3.1

68.7 MILLION

BILLION

4-6 WEEKS Average time for SCT cases to be resolved after successful service

@difccourts

www.difccourts.ae

difccourts

@difccourts

difccourts

47

PRO BONO CLINICS

608 INDIVIDUALS SERVED

DIFC COURTS TEAM

63% WOMEN

JUDICIAL BENCH

37% MEN

Judges from five countries, including first female judge from Malaysia

UK

DEVELOPING EMIRATI TALENT

2 3

UAE

Singapore

37%

1

Malaysia

1

3 Australia

of the DIFC Courts team are UAE nationals

OUTREACH The DIFC Courts are committed to transparency and customer engagement. This requires regular and robust communications with stakeholders conducted via:

Quarterly Newsletters

Social Media

Media Relations

Annual Review

Actively Managed Website

News Alerts

eREGISTRY The DIFC Courts operate a full registry service online. This enables remote 24/7 secure case progression and administration, e-payments and practitioner registration facilities.

Registered legal practitioners in 2019 Law Firms

140

Individual Lawyers

810

WILLS SERVICE CENTRE

Courtroom

The state-of-the-art courtroom communications equipment plays a key role in supporting the increasing international caseloads in 2019.

Parties are able to contribute to hearings via video conference or have access to their cases online, as well as use e-bundling.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS February 2019: DIFC Courts launches Special Complaints Referral Centre March 2019: Cooperation agreement with DLD to promote Wills Service

Total Wills registered

1,087

July 2019: DIFC Courts expands scope of wills services across the UAE September 2019: DIFC Courts forges alliance with Dubai SME October 2019: DIFC Courts and Emirates Auction sign cooperation agreement October 2019: Court Tech Lab launched by DIFC Courts and the Dubai Future Foundation November 2019: Ruler of Dubai appoints two new judges to the DIFC Courts

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE (CFI) Total value of claims filed CFI (Including Arbitration)

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

AED 3.1

BILLION

95% of visitors said they were happy with the services provided by DIFC Courts

SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SCT) The first of its kind in the region, the SCT was set up 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;

NUMBER OF CLAIMS FILED

4-6 WEEKS

average time for SCT cases to be resolved after successful service

399 CASES JAN-DEC 2018

585 CASES JAN-DEC 2019

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.

TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED

68.7 MILLION

29% INCREASE

ENFORCEMENT

COURT OF APPEAL (CA)

Total value of claims filed

The Court of Appeal deals with a variety of civil and commercial disputes.

It comprises a panel of three judges, and deals with:

2.6 BILLION

• 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 DIFC Courts have signed many important memoranda with local and international courts. DIFC Courts’ money judgments can be enforced internationally through treaties and reciprocal arrangements with common law courts overseas.

the Supreme court of The Republic of Kazakhstan

Commercial court of England and Wales

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY)

Jordanian Ministry of Justice

The Paris Convention

The Riyadh Convention The Tunisian Republic The Arab Republic of Egypt

Ras al khaimah

Shanghai High People’s Court

The Republic of China (2004) Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China

Hangzhou Arbitration Commission

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)

PRO BONO PROGRAMME

The New South Wales Supreme Court

Treaties Memorandum of Guidance/Memorandum of Understanding

THE PRO BONO CLINIC INITIATIVE

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

57

Individual Lawyers

167

47 clinics

608 individuals served