United Arab Emirates: Litigation, Mediation & Arbitration

Dubai landlords possess significant legal rights to collect rent, enforce tenancy obligations, and regain possession of their properties, but these rights must be exercised through proper legal procedures. Understanding when eviction is permissible, how rent increases are regulated, and what steps to take for unpaid rent can mean the difference between a successful claim and a weakened legal position before the Rental Disputes Center.

Enforcement law in the UAE sets out how a successful court judgment is converted into actual payment or compliance. Winning the case is only the first stage if the debtor does not perform voluntarily. The creditor must open an execution file, allow the applicable grace period, and ask the Execution Judge to use the measures available under the Civil Procedure Law.

Learn how the Court of Cassation in Dubai reviews questions of law, the strict 60-day appeal deadline and why enforcement does not stop automatically.

An individual wanted in another country may be stopped, detained and referred to the Public Prosecution in the UAE, notwithstanding that the alleged offence was committed elsewhere. What follows, however, is not a handover at the airport. It is a judicial process governed by Federal Law No. (39) of 2006 Concerning International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters...

This insight examines precautionary attachment (الحجز التحفظي/أمر الحجز) as a means of securing a debtor’s assets: whether an attachment can be obtained before a judgment is issued, what the court requires, how a court-appointed expert’s report can strengthen the application, whether the creditor must provide security, and the deadlines on which attachments are most often lost.

Commercial disputes are common in business. A delayed payment, a failed investment arrangement, a disputed variation, a shareholder disagreement or a breach of contract can quickly affect cash flow, business relationships and future plans.

Learn how the Court of Cassation in Dubai reviews questions of law, the strict 60-day appeal deadline and why enforcement does not stop automatically.

On 3 August 2026, the Conflicts of Jurisdiction Tribunal issued a watershed decision in Application No. 005/2026, confirming a principle that will shape enforcement strategy across Dubai’s dual court system, namely, “procedural tools follow enforcement jurisdiction, not the reverse”.

Most people think a prank call is just a joke. But in the UAE, one wrong word, a fake emergency, a threat, or recording the call without permission can quickly turn a harmless prank into a criminal case.

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

The UAE government, primarily through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and the Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationships...

Dr. Hassan Elhais explains how under UAE law, committing suicide is a crime.