ARTICLE
26 February 2019

How Does The Court Ensure Lawsuit Settlements Are Paid?

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Dr. Hassan Elhais

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Dr. Hassan Elhais, a long-standing member of the prestigious Amal Alrashedi Lawyers & Legal Consultants, is a renowned legal consultant in the UAE, specializing in family law, criminal law, civil law, company incorporation, construction law, banking law, inheritance law, and arbitration. Dr. Elhais has gained wide recognition in the country, winning numerous awards and accolades. He was declared the Legal Consultant of the Year in 2026 by Leaders in Law. He was also elected as the co-chair of the ‘Relocation of Children Committee’ of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL), a worldwide association of practicing lawyers, widely regarded as the most experienced and skilled family law specialists in their respective countries. Dr. Hassan Elhais’s continued recognition in the 2025 Chambers and Partners rankings for Family/Matrimonial services to High-Net-Worth individuals in the UAE from 2022-2025.
Question: If the court rules in favour of the claimant (the person who filed the lawsuit), what does the court do to ensure payment is received? And is there punishment for non-compliance?
United Arab Emirates Corporate/Commercial Law
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Question: If the court rules in favour of the claimant (the person who filed the lawsuit), what does the court do to ensure payment is received? And is there punishment for non-compliance?

Answer: Execution of final and enforceable judgments are carried out from the premises of the Court of First Instance under the supervision of the Execution Judge and assisted by execution officers. The Execution judge has exclusive jurisdiction regarding enforcement of judgments and determining all objections and disputes in the course of execution proceedings. As soon as the execution action is filed, the judgment debtor is served an execution deed as stipulated in the Civil Procedure Code. The notice states in clear terms what the debtor is required to do within 15 days. Failing the full payment to the judgment creditor, the creditor can seek an attachment order against the debtor's property or assets or apply to detail the debtor.

Question: What is the name of the court that deals with commercial cases?

Answer: Commercial Courts deals with commercial cases. This court has two circuits; the minor circuits consist of a single judge who looks into commercial claims with a value of less than Dh100,000 as well as counter cases regardless of their value. The second circuit is the major circuits which consist of three Judges and is presided by one of them. The major circuits look into commercial claims, the value of which are either not estimated or are greater than Dh100,000 as well as the counter cases, regardless of their value.

After the first instance court judgment, the judgment can be appealed before the court of appeal within 30 days. The time limit begins from the day after the judgement is announced. If the defendant did not attend or plead in trial, the 30-day limit starts the day judgment is served. The litigant parties (parties involved in the lawsuit) can challenge the judgment issued by the Courts of Appeal before the Court of Cassation if the value claimed in the action exceeds Dh200,000.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

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