Federal Law No. (6) of 1978 Regarding Establishing Federal Courts and Transferring Powers of Local Judicial Authorities in Some Emirates to Such Courts (justice and juiciary law)

Article (1)  
First Instance Courts existing in the capitals of the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and 
Fujairah at the time of enactment of this Law shall be Federal Courts of First Instance. First 
Instance Courts existing in the citi es or areas other than those in the capitals of the said  
Federal Law of 1978 regarding establishing federal courts and  transferring powers of local judicial authorities in 
some Emirates to such courts.  2 
 Emirates shall be departments subsidiary to the Federal Courts of First Instance.  
The Courts of Appeal existing in the capitals of the aforesaid Emirates shall be Federal Courts 
of Appeal.  
  
Article (1 BIS)  
The courts and competences of the judicial Authority in the emirate of Um Al Quwain shall be 
combined with the federal courts.

Article (2)  
Shall be transferred to the Federal Courts prescribed in the aforesaid article the jurisdictions 
undertaken  by the local judicial tribunals existing in the aforesaid emirates.

Article (3)  
Subject to the provision of the preceding  article, the Federal Court s of First Instance  – each in 
its own capacity – shall have the jurisdiction to examine:  
1. Civil, commercial, and administrative disputes between the Union and individuals 
whether the Union is  acting in the capacity of  plaintiff or defendant therein.  
2. Crimes with exception to those subject to the Union Supreme Court’s jurisdiction 
pursuant to article (9 9) of the Constitution.  
3. Personal status, civil, commercial, and other cases between individuals.

Article (4)  
The Court hearings shall be held in public, unless the Court decides, at its own discretion, or 
at the request of the public prosecution or a lit igant, to hold same in closed chambers to  
Federal Law of 1978 regarding establishing federal courts and  transferring powers of local judicial authorities in 
some Emirates to such courts.  3 
 maintain public order or manners.  
In all cases, the verdict shall have to be pronounced in a public hearing.

Article (5)  
The courts of first instance's verdicts shall be rendered by an individual judge, while those 
rendered by the courts of appeal shall be made by a panel of three judges.  
  
Article 5 (BIS)  
In exemption of the provisions of the preceding article, judgments of the First Instance 
Courts shall be issued by a panel of three judges in certain civil a nd commercial disputes as 
determined by the Law governing the procedures of civil courts.  
And the judgments of criminal circuits shall be issued by a panel of three judges at the Court 
of Appeal in crimes of premeditated murder, rape, and theft with coercion, with exception to 
crimes affection the Union’s security and interests which fall under the jurisdiction of the 
Union Supreme Court – and the said judgments issued by the Criminal Circuits cannot be 
appealed, however they may be objected to by cas sation in accordance with the provisions 
of article (20) of Federal Law No. (17) of 1978 referred to above .

Article (6)  
Verdicts shall be inclusive of the grounds on which they were based.

Article (7)  
Litigants may contest the verdicts of the federal courts before the Supreme Federal Court in 
the cases and according to the procedures enforced by the law promulgated in this respect.   
Federal Law of 1978 regarding establishing federal courts and  transferring powers of local judicial authorities in 
some Emirates to such courts.  4

Article (8)  
The Federal Courts shall apply the provisions of the Islamic Sharia, federal laws and other laws 
in force, as well as applying the rules of custom and general legal principles insofar as they do 
not contravene the provisions of Sharia.

Article (9)  
Verdicts shall be rendered by the federal courts and executed in the name of the President of 
the UAE.

Article (10)  
Disputes looked into before the courts and which have become by virtue of this Law under 
the jurisdiction of the federal courts shall be transferred to this latter as is and without fees.  
However, this provision shall not apply to the lawsuits where pleading is closed and stayed 
for a verdict to be pronounced.

Article (11)  
The staff working in the local judicial tribunals in the emirates stated in article (1) hereof, 
including judges, public prosecutors, clerks, summoners etc., shall be transf erred to the federal 
courts as is and with the same seniority and salaries.  
Judges and public prosecutors shall take the legal oath before the Minister of Justice, Islamic 
Affairs and Awqaf as follows:  
(I do solemnly swear by God Almighty to discharge my d uties rightfully and impartially,  
Federal Law of 1978 regarding establishing federal courts and  transferring powers of local judicial authorities in 
some Emirates to such courts.  5 
 without fear or favor, and keep the UAE constitution and laws.)  
The oath taken by the public prosecutors shall be in the presence of the Attorney General.

Article (12)  
Subject to what is provided for in Federal Law No. ( 17) of 1978 and Federal Law No. (3) of 
1983 referred to above, there shall be adherence before the Federal Courts of First Instance 
and Federal Courts of Appeal to the procedures and rules on the execution of judgments 
applicable in each Emirate – and what ever amendments that may impact such rules and 
regulations – until such time as the Law regulating the procedures before the Federal Courts 
is promulgated.

Article (13)  
Legal fees before the federal courts shall be determined by a decree. Until such time as this 
decree is issued, the rules currently in place shall remain applicable.

Article (14)  
The Minister of Justice shall have the authority to supervise federal courts in such a manner 
that would ensure the performance of their mission and realize  the due course of justice 
without prejudice to the autonomy of the judiciary system. Forming the courts circuits and 
assigning judges thereto shall be vide a decree issued by the Minister of Justice.

Article (15)   
Federal Law of 1978 regarding establishing federal courts and  transferring powers of local judicial authorities in 
some Emirates to such courts.  6 
 The Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs  and Awqaf and the concerned authorities in the 
emirates mentioned in article (1) shall execute the provisions of this Law.

Article (16)  
This Law shall be published in the Gazette and become enforceable as of the date of its 
promulgation.  
  
[Signed]  
Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan,  
President of the United Arab Emirates  
Promulgated by us in the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi, On:  
 Jumada Thani 29, 1398 A.H.  
Corresponding to: 5/6/1978 A.D.