Criminal Courts in the Emirate of Dubai

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has flexible laws for families, but it has strict criminal laws. These laws are governed under Federal Law No. 35 of 1992 on Criminal Procedure and Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 on the Penal Code, among others. The criminal courts make decisions by federal laws in the UAE. Moreover, the law guides criminal prosecutions, trials, and prison sentences. To understand the criminal laws, the lawyers in Dubai can guide you. They can also represent you in the criminal courts if needed.

The criminal court system in Dubai is divided into three levels to ensure justice and fairness to individuals:

1. Court of First Instance

Initially, the complaint is filed in this court. The Public Prosecution shows the evidence that they have found during the criminal investigation, whereas, the defendant has the right to get legal representation and defend themselves against the legal matter. However, cases of felonies and misdeamnours are heard in this court.

2. Court of Appeal

Let’s say that the convicted individual does not agree to the verdict given by the court, they have the right to appeal to another court. That is the Court of Appeal where the court will take a look at the case and evidence, ensuring legal arguments are correctly made in the case. However, the decision can be changed if the evidence or argument does not look good to the Court of Appeal.

3. Court of Cassation

The highest court in the UAE is the Court of Cassation. That is the final level in the criminal judiciary and verdicts are not changed from here. Therefore, the evidence and legal argument should be tailored to the nature of obtaining justice in the UAE.
As the levels of courts are different in the UAE, Dubai law firms have represented clients at all levels. The lawyers in Dubai understand how a criminal case is handled in the UAE, especially when the evidence is gathered.

Though the UAE government wants to ensure zero level of crime across the emirates, there are possibilities of theft, robbery, and assaults. With the efficiency of digital transformation, there have been cybercrime threats, too. However, these offenses are categorised based on the severity of violations done in the UAE. Some of them include violations of civil laws, such as traffic violations. The financial penalty is enough to get over it but short-term imprisonment is also applied. These are minor offenses.

Cases of assault, defamation, and theft come under misdemeanours. Felonies are serious crimes that are related to drug trafficking, sexual assault, or murder. These kinds of offenses may get an individual life-long imprisonment or even death. The severity and laws of the offense describe the punishment in the UAE.
The lawyers in Dubai are qualified to resolve criminal cases for their clients.

The criminal cases in the UAE are conducted systematically:

1. Filing a Complaint
When a crime happens, the victim reports to the Dubai Police. They can file a complaint online or visit the nearest Dubai Police branch. The investigation begins from there, and the case is referred to the Public Prosecution when sufficient evidence is found.

2. Investigation by Public Prosecution
The Public Prosecution will cross-examine the accused individual, review the evidence, and then decide whether the case shall be dismissed or continued. During all this time, the Dubai law firms and the lawyers have been helpful because they know how cases are dealt with in the criminal courts.

3. Trial in Court of First Instance
Usually, some cases are resolved out of court, but then there are court hearings. However, the case gets a verdict based on the evidence presented in the court.

4. Appeals and Final Judgment
If the parties do not agree to the decision, they can appeal to the court within 15 days. The final level of judgment is made in the Court of Cassation to ensure justice in the UAE courts. The lawyers in Dubai are significant in the UAE judiciary system.

Under the UAE laws, besides specialized courts, there are divisions of the courts to address the right criminal cases:

• Cybercrime Division – Scams and frauds conducted online can be reported under the cybercrime division. However, hacking and data invasion through online portals is also considered as cybercrime.

• Juvenile Court – Children below 18 years are considered juveniles in the UAE. If they commit any criminal offense, they will be sent to a rehabilitation centre rather than giving them imprisoned in the UAE.

• Drug Offenses Court – The possession of any illegal drugs is simply forbidden. Anyone found with prohibited drugs or they are selling illegal substances in the UAE, the drug offenses court will deal with the matter.

• Financial Crimes Unit – Financial fraudulent cases are reported in this department. Companies or debtors may have a dispute which can lead to financial crimes and so they are reported in a specific unit of the judiciary.

The UAE Penal Code is straightforward for sentencing and penalties. These include fines, imprisonment, deportation, and capital punishment. Some of them are financial penalties, and others are termed for jail. However, the expatriates are deported if found guilty. Capital punishment is rare because it is a death sentence and is given only if national security is threatened. The judges have discretions for issuing sentences. The lawyers in Dubai mediate for the reduction in life imprisonment for their clients.

Read More: UAE System of Courts