DIFC Courts enhance access to justice with new court rules

The DIFC Courts published a revised body of rules governing court procedures, including important changes affecting document production and pro bono litigants. 

The Rules of the DIFC Court (RDC) help the Courts deal with cases justly and ensure an equal footing for all parties. They are regularly assessed and benchmarked against the world’s leading jurisdictions to keep Dubai at the forefront of commercial legal best practice.

The 2014 edition of the RDC, which has been published following a two-month period of consultation with the UAE legal community, includes two notable amendments. The rules regarding electronic document production (Part 28) have been revised in the light of the latest International Bar Association rules on disclosure. Amendments have also been made to the rules concerning Pro-Bono litigants (Part 38), whereby a panel may now decide, under certain circumstances, to grant a litigant a cost free trial.

Michael Hwang, Chief Justice of the DIFC Courts, said, “Effective rules and procedures are the bedrock upon which the best courtrooms are built, ensuring clarity and fairness for both sides. In our drive to offer the world’s most advanced legal process, we identified a number of substantive changes that have been welcomed by practitioners in the country. We thank everyone in the UAE legal community who took the time to participate in the consultation, with their observations, comments and suggestions proving invaluable to the process of developing the 2014 Rules of the DIFC Court.” 

The Rules of the DIFC Court 2014 can be found at www.difccourts.ae