Know The Law: How to file a case in Dubai without going to court

A majority of Dubai Courts’ services are round-the-clock and available through smart channels. Among those online services is the remote case registration facility, through which Dubai Courts aims to minimise the legwork of those who believe the legal recourse is their only option. The Salfah remote case registration service facilitates the transactions of Dubai Courts’ clients by using advanced electronic services on the courts’ website to save time and energy. Among the first government departments in Dubai to implement the smart transformation, Dubai Courts’ e-initiatives allow customers use its services through smartphones. “Dubai Courts is firmly committed to implementing the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who said ‘We want our citizens to access government services via their mobile phones’. Dubai Courts is providing its services to customers via smart applications to make them happy and help them complete their transactions easily,” Tarish Eid Al Mansouri, Director-General of Dubai Courts, said recently. “We are committed to prompt response to resolve jurisdictional disputes and record high rates of judgments,” her added. The Salfah programme enables lawyers or litigants to register cases remotely. Litigants can both upload required documents and process payments online, which contributes to saving them time and effort. The best part of this programme is that it doesn’t follow a work time schedule. Talking about the large number of Dubai Courts services that have gone online, Al Mansouri said: “Litigation process in Dubai has become very easy, as 217 services by Dubai Courts went smart, and are available in a single platform. We have surpassed the target set in the beginning of 2015 to convert 200 services by end of the same year.” He added: “We are keen to raise the happiness standards among customers by simplifying our services and speeding up litigation for clients and employees alike. We affirm that Dubai Courts follows the highest international judicial work.” How does Salfah work? The Salfaf digital system receives electronic application 24 hours a day and 7 days a week so you can do it at a time that suits you, without having to rush to the court after shuffling your hectic work schedule. The complete transactions just take minutes without being at the courts, and follows a secure electronic payment system, taking out the hassle that is normally associated with filing a legal claim. The online services cover all types of case including real estate, commercial, labour, civil and personnel affairs. Also covered by the new services are the settlement centre, orders upon petitions of all kinds, precautionary attachments, and other urgent matters. Instead of personally visiting the court, the applicant needs to simply enter the information related to the case, the parties involved and attach the required documents. The applicant can also register, transfer the file to a judicial circuit and set a hearing date after the payment of fees, as per the Dubai Courts procedure. To use this remote service, the applicant needs to provide his/her communication details, mentioning the case type, topic and claim amount, along with the original claim, if available. Upon saving these details, a registration number is issued. After this, it enters or retrieves the data of the party or parties filing the case and defines the lawyer or lawyers for each of the parties involved. Once this is done, you need to enter the data of the opponent party or parties in the case. If available, attach the statement of claim or document dossier, which forms the basis for the case approval. Review the application and verify the accuracy of the data and send the application. Once your work is done, the application is reviewed by the Central Services Section, where it is reviewed, approved and is sent to the client for final approval. Lastly, after the approval by the Central Services Section, the case payment is made and a case number and a first hearing date are received, all without leaving the comfort of your home or office. Dubai Courts’ performance report Dubai Courts’ performance reports showed that the number of registered cases in various levels of litigation reached 130,811 in 2015, compared with 118,077 cases in 2014, an increase of 11 per cent. These cases included 110,272 in the First Instance Court, 17,210 in Court of Appeal, and 3,329 in Court of Cassation. The reports also revealed that the rate of cases’ judgment stood at 95 per cent. “The high rate of cases’ judgments is a result of Dubai Courts efforts in smart transformation on different levels, to safeguard rights in record time,” noted Hamad Thani Matar Al Dhaheri, Head of International Excellence, Acting Director of Strategy and Institutional Performance, Dubai Courts. Dubai Courts not only facilitate the process for litigants, but also for employees, lawyers and other stakeholders. Relevantly, Dubai Courts introduced Mabade-Legal Principles, an application to deliver legal provisions and principles in criminal, civil, commercial, labor and personal status issued by Dubai’s Court of Cassation since its inception. The application’s features include advanced search, easy access, and the ability to send the legal principles and decisions by e-mail. It is designed to serve judges, prosecutors, lawyers and all parties involved in legal actions. Emirates247