It has been a problem that visitors to the UAE who fall foul of the law over petty crimes have had to wait far too long for their cases to be heard. The old adage that justice delayed is justice denied emphasises the need for quick resolution of these cases, which is why it is good news that later this year, the Dubai Courts Department will set up a new misdemeanour court that will be able to deliver speedy judgement in cases that may include charges like traffic offences, bounced cheques and consuming alcohol.
The new court should enable tourists to get judgement within the period of stay allocated by their visas so they avoid overstaying while waiting for the verdict. If these quick trials are to work, the courts will need to focus on the quick collection of evidence and any other pre-trial requirements. The actual trial should take its course so that standards of justice are not impaired. Of course, these techniques may be used in other cases too, so that a wider range of people can benefit from quick and fair trial.
