Appeals court plans to put cases on the fast track to ruling

Abu Dhabi: The emirate's appeal court is streamlining procedures to ensure judgments are made quicker, said an official.

Consultant Abdul Aziz Yaqoubi of the Appeal Court and Secretary-General of the Judicial Council in the Judicial department, told Gulf News: "Some cases have taken only one month before a final sentence was passed.

"The department is very concerned about reducing the time taken for a ruling to be made. Now, a case can be closed in six months."

Earlier, cases would be prolonged for three years and even more.

He explained that the judicial system is the same but the procedures are being hastened, especially in informing other parties about a case which earlier took a long time.

An electronic system is being reviewed to reduce the use of paper. "Judges are using the internet to do research and circulate files. They also use the internet to be in touch with different parties involved in a case," he said.

His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, issued, as Ruler of Abut Dhabi, Law No. 23 for the year 2006 to reorganise the judiciary department.

The law stresses the independence and impartiality of the judiciary away from the executive office in the emirate.

The law has established a judicial council, which decides on the appointment, promotion and assignment of judges. Earlier, this responsibility was given to the President of the Court of Cassation.

Conference

Supreme court talks

Thirty-three nations will be represented in the capital on Sunday for an international conference for supreme court presidents.

The conference will focus on three main issues. First, the relation between federal and provincial court systems; second, the challenges in the judicial system; third, the implications of Sharia as a judicial system.

"Our hope is that people will see Sharia as a judicial system. Yes, it is a religious system, but it is also a legal framework that is just and fair," said Abdul Wahab Abdul, President of the Supreme Court of the UAE.

The conference is a joint effort between the UAE Ministry of Justice and the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. The conference will include various judicial systems from throughout the world. Middle Eastern and Western courts will be represented in the conference. The conference organisers hope this will create more dialogue between international judicial systems.