The DIFC Courts, the Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) independent, common law judicial system, and the Dubai Courts have signed a protocol of enforcement that empowers the execution judge at Dubai Courts.

The protocol will enable the execution judge at Dubai Courts to enforce DIFC Courts’ judgments, orders, and arbitral awards ratified by the DIFC Courts and vice versa.

The procedure set out in the protocol will assist court users that require their judgments or orders to be enforced outside the jurisdiction of the court that originally issued the final decision in their case.

Formalising this process offers increased transparency for both courts’ users and will provide court users access to an efficient process for multi-jurisdiction enforcements. The protocol is another measure towards affirming the effectiveness and strength of Dubai’s judicial system.

The terms of the new protocol, which takes effect from May 1, requires that both the DIFC Courts and the Dubai Courts assign one of their own executive judges to enforce the applicable judgments and arbitral awards issued by the respective authorities.

Each respective court will print and distribute the protocol for court users and both courts will keep each other informed of any changes to their existing legal authority that would affect the implementation of the protocol.

The protocol will be published on both the DIFC Courts and the Dubai Courts’ websites in both English and Arabic.

“The protocol of enforcement is a positive move for the judicial system in Dubai,” said Chief Justice Sir Anthony Evans of DIFC Courts.

“Both the DIFC and the Dubai Courts are pillars of the UAE legal system and both authorities welcome any move to formalise our working relationship. This latest collaborative step will further increase the efficiency of both justice systems for users of the DIFC and Dubai Courts.”

Director general, Dr Ahmed Saeed Bin Hazeem, of the Dubai Courts said: “The signing of this protocol signifies a new chapter in judicial cooperation between Dubai Courts and DIFC Courts which will lead to effectively maintaining a strong judicial system in Dubai and strengthen the enforcement of judgements and orders issued by the two courts, and also the arbitration agreements ratified by the courts.” – TradeArabia News Service