US judges appointed for Abu Dhabi courts
Two American judges to hear disputes in Abu Dhabi Commercial Courts in select cases
Abu Dhabi: For the first time, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department has appointed two American judges to work in Abu Dhabi Commercial Courts.
The move is said to be the first time such a step has been taken in the Middle East.
The two American judges – Oran Whiting and Colene Marie Otol – will work in the major chamber of the Commercial Court of First Instance to hear disputes where values in dispute exceed Dh1 million.
The duo were appointed to be the first two judges upon whom the article no. 30 of the executive order of the civil procedures law no. 10 of the year 2017 was enforced.
The article permits mixed chambers, which allows foreign experts to be involved for making a decision in major lawsuits.
Counselor Yousuf Sa’ead Al Ebri, undersecretary of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, said the unprecedented step has been taken for implementing the directives of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.