Outline of the Court System and Jurisdiction of the Courts

Overview

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is a financial freezone that has been created which proposes a distinct, nonpartisan regulatory and legal framework in order to provide a domain for progress, growth and economic development in the UAE and the entire region.
The DIFC was established as per Federal Law No. 8/2004 on Financial Free Zones and Federal Decree No. 35/2004 on the Establishment of a Financial Free Zone in the Emirate of Dubai.
The three courts present within the DIFC are the Small Claims Tribunal, the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal.
The DIFC Courts have jurisdiction over most civil and commercial matters occurring within the DIFC (alongside their international jurisdiction).
The DIFC Courts have no jurisdiction over criminal matters and all criminal matters continue to be referred to the Dubai Courts. The DIFC Courts also have no jurisdiction over family and matrimonial matters.