Dubai: The new adjustments made to the Dubai Judicial Council’s (DJC) structure drew praise on Saturday and was described as a giant step for the judicial industry.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued a decree on Saturday modifying some provisions of Law No 6 for 1992 regarding the setting up of the DJC and retiring and bringing in new faces to the judicial body in Dubai.

“The new adjustments are highly appreciated and welcome and will definitely be leapfrogging Dubai’s judicial sector in terms of bringing in and applying the best practices. The strategic partners functioning under the DJC’s umbrella will be working closely and with higher proficiency to become number one and render the best judicial practices,” Yousuf Hassan Al Mutawaa, the new Director General of Dubai Courts Department (DCD), told Gulf News.

Shaikh Mohammad, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, issued a decree ordering the retirement of Dr Ahmad Saeed Bin Hazim, the DCD’s former director general and his former deputy Mohammad Yousuf Ahmad.

Shaikh Mohammad also issued a decree ordering the transfer of Al Mutawaa from his previous position as Dubai Public Prosecution’s (DPP) first attorney general and promoting him to DCD’s new director general.

Meanwhile, a decree was passed promoting Judge Abdul Qader Moussa from first cassation judge to DCD’s new deputy director. Judge Moussa will maintain his duties as head of the Rent Dispute Settlement Centre.

Shaikh Mohammad also issued a decree promoting Khalifa Rashid Bin Dimas and appointing him as DPP’s first attorney general.

Expressing his gratitude and appreciation, Al Mutawaa told Gulf News: “This is a great honour and a huge responsibility. My colleagues and I will work cooperatively to fulfil the vision of Shaikh Mohammad in leapfrogging the judicial sector.”

According to Saturday’s decree, Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, will preside over the newly restructured DJC.

The decree stipulates that the Director of the Office of His Highness the Ruler of Dubai will be DJC’s Vice-President and the members will be Dubai’s Attorney General, DCD’s Director General, Head of the Cassation Court, Head of the Appeal Court, Head of the Court of First Instance and the Dubai Judicial Inspection’s Director.

DJC’s resolutions are issued by a majority and in the event of equal votes, the decision of the side that includes the president prevails.

The second item of the new law included adding an article under item 7 (repeated), stipulating that: “The council shall have a secretariat general headed by a secretary general appointed by a decree issued by the Ruler, which determines his tasks and specialisations according to a system that will be issued by DJC.”

Shaikh Mohammad appointed Dimas as the secretary general of DJC’s secretariat general.

“We will be working closely and efficiently with our strategic partners — the newly-established Dubai Judicial Inspection, DPP and Dubai Judicial Institute — to work under the umbrella of DJC and in cooperation with the Council’s general secretariat,” Al Mutawaa said.

Shaikh Mohammad also issued a law amending some provisions of the (Judicial Inspection) Law No 2 for the year 1992, replacing the text of Article 3 with the following text:

“The setting up of the judicial inspection section to be affiliated to the judicial council in Dubai”

He also issued a law amending some provisions of Law No 27 for 2009 regarding the Dubai Judicial Institute.

The new law included the replacement of a number of texts and provisions in Law No 27, and most notably the affiliation of the Institute to the judiciary council in Dubai. These decrees will be applied from the date of issuance in the official gazette.

— With inputs by WAM