Middle East: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

As parties across the supply chain continue to navigate the consequences of recent geopolitical developments affecting the Strait of Hormuz...

Hospitality Criteria for Hotels in Egypt is our English regulatory translation of the hospitality standards for investors and hotel operators.

في خطوة تشريعية تُعد من الأهم في تاريخ القطاع الصحي المصري، صدر القانون رقم ١٣ لسنة ٢٠٢

Court-appointed experts play a crucial role in UAE civil litigation, particularly in technically complex disputes involving construction, finance, and engineering. While expert reports carry significant persuasive weight, a fundamental principle remains: these reports are advisory only, and judges retain full authority to accept, modify, or reject expert findings.

The DIFC Court of Appeal has issued a landmark ruling setting aside substantive parts of a DIAC arbitral award, marking the first known instance of such action under the DIFC Arbitration Law. The Court found that a tribunal upheld an unpleaded claim without affording the respondent an opportunity to respond, constituting a denial of due process despite reaffirming minimal judicial interference principles.

Digital correspondence is fundamentally reshaping contract formation and legal evidence in Egypt's courts. As commercial activity increasingly moves online, electronic communications—from emails to digital records—are gaining recognition as valid legal proof, challenging traditional notions of written documentation and raising critical questions about authenticity, admissibility, and evidentiary weight in Egyptian jurisprudence.

A person who drives on a UAE road without a driving licence, or with a licence that does not cover the type of vehicle he is driving, commits a criminal offence rather than a routine traffic violation. On a first offence, the court may impose imprisonment of up to three months and a fine of between AED 5,000 and AED 50,000, or either penalty alone. On a repeat offence, imprisonment is for not less than three months and the fine rises to between AED 20,000 and AED 100,000, again with the court able to impose either penalty alone. These penalties are set out in Article 37 of Federal Decree-Law No. (14) of 2024 on the Regulation of Traffic (the “Traffic Law”).

Commercial contracts are signed with the expectation that both sides will perform what they have promised. But sometimes an unexpected event occurs that is outside the parties’ control and makes performance impossible.

Traditionally, judicial systems around the world relied on conventional court procedures across all types of courts, including civil courts, personal status courts, criminal courts, and specialized courts.

A defendant's uncertain statement about possible drug use abroad became the basis for his conviction when the court treated it as a confession. The Court of Cassation examined whether qualified words like "might have used" constitute an admission, and whether the evidence established when and where any consumption occurred.

The UAE's international arbitration framework continues to evolve with significant legal reforms and institutional developments. This comprehensive analysis examines the dual onshore/offshore legal system, recent legislative changes including the new Civil Transactions Law and DIFC Courts Law, and critical procedural aspects from tribunal constitution to award enforcement. Understanding these developments is essential for practitioners navigating arbitration in one of the Middle East's most dynamic legal ju

When laboratory records fail to clearly identify which person provided a positive drug sample, can the prosecution rely on the test result? This UAE case examines how documentation gaps and reference number discrepancies undermined the chain of custody, leading to an unexpected acquittal despite two separate positive reports.