Background

A claim was brought by an eighteen year old Muslim woman requesting the court to terminate the custodial rights her mother had over her financial affairs. The court of first instance terminated the custodial rights of the defendant and the defendant appealed. The appeal court upheld the judgement and the Attorney General appealed by cassation. The Attorney General argued that under UAE law, an adult only becomes an adult aged twenty one. The judgement had therefore violated Sharia principles by holding that an eighteen year old woman could conduct her own financial affairs.

Decision