Sheikh Maktoum approves three-year Dubai International Financial Centre Courts Strategic Work Plan

A new three-year plan, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts Strategic Work Plan 2022-2024, was approved by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and president of DIFC, according to news agency WAM.

Consisting of 28 projects, it includes a new international court specialised in digital economy. The plan for such a court was first unveiled in December last year and focuses on settling complex civil and commercial disputes related within the tech space. The new court will deal with national and international disputes related to current and emerging technologies covering big data, blockchain technologies, artificial intelligence, cloud services, unmanned aerial vehicles, 3D printing technologies and robotics.

Read: Dubai’s DIFC Courts launches specialised court for the digital economy

Apart from making a provision for the specialised court for the digital economy, the new strategic plan also includes the establishment of a new centre for Will Deposit in addition to a comprehensive Digital Will Management System and an advanced CRM. The DIFC Courts will also offer multi-lingual consultancy services.

The DIFC Courts Strategic Work Plan has a digital technology strategy that envisions the use of AI to aid reduction in clerical burdens, help streamline the case review methodology, create a realistic virtual presence, remove document duplications, and unlock time to take on complex tasks.

.@MaktoumMohammed approves @DIFCCourts Strategic Work Plan 2022- 2024, which includes the launch of ‘Specialised Court for the Digital Economy’. #Dubai pic.twitter.com/BFj6qvkb1b

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 24, 2022

The plan involves a push towards digital transformation through advanced technologies to increase the efficiency of dispute resolution. It envisions a hyperconnected judicial network accompanied by efficient legal procedures for enhanced accessibility to court services.

“The Strategic Work Plan built to actively support DIFC strategic objectives and to launch a new era of legal technological infrastructure that meet current requirements,” said Sheikh Maktoum.

Justice Omar Al Mheiri, director, DIFC Courts, added: “Increased digital platforms, paperless processes and virtual hearings are all now becoming the new reality. By combining a modern and flexible digital infrastructure with judicial and service excellence, the DIFC Courts will continue to set the benchmark for international commercial courts.”

Over 95 per cent of hearings of the DIFC Courts are being conducted remotely. The DIFC Courts also became the first paperless court in the region in 2021, with 100 per cent of internal processes and customer-facing services now operating fully digitally.