Dubai Courts is all set to host the 24th Congress of the International Union of Judicial Officers from 22nd to 25th November, 2021.
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Congress will be held under the theme: “Cyberjustice: New Opportunities for the Judicial Officer”.
Taresh Eid Al Mansouri, Director-General of Dubai Courts said, “Holding this Congress reflects Dubai Courts’ objective of establishing cooperation with leading organisations in the sector to provide world-class judicial services.”
The Congress will see the participation of member countries of the International Union of Judicial Officers, which has 93 full members and six observer members. “We are proud to host this international event in Dubai and for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region,” Al Mansouri added.
“Our commitment to creating a just and equitable environment was demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Courts continued to provide judicial services using advanced technologies. We want to ensure the community continues to have the confidence that their rights are fully protected and they will receive speedy and effective justice,” he said.
“The UAE has shown the world how it can turn the challenges posed by the pandemic into a precious opportunity for development,” he noted.
“After the success of our remote litigation system, there will be no turning back. All stakeholders in the judicial system continue to use these smart tools. We have created mechanisms to review the speed of the system and customer satisfaction with it. The system can be used to complete transactions for judicial procedures, anytime and anywhere, saving considerable time and effort,” he added.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts and the Emirates Advocates Association will participate in the Congress. The organisation of the Congress will support the vision of the country’s leadership to make the UAE the best country in the world by the 100th anniversary of the nation’s foundation in 2071.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Dubai Courts completed 588,018 judicial transactions through its digital channels in 2020. A total of 20,715 cases were processed for the criminal court and 14,945 cases for the trial court. The enforcement court processed 122,703 cases, while 11,394 appeal cases were processed. The total value of settlements in 2020 was AED558.23 million with 1,755 amicable settlements. The turnaround time for rulings for cases was reduced to 80 days in 2020 from 91 days in 2018.
Dubai Courts has 191 judicial officers out of a total of 1,112 staff. Women represent 44 percent of the total workforce. The department has been working to constantly develop the capabilities of its staff and adopt modern systems and technology to realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to create one of the world’s best judicial systems in the emirate.
Dubai Courts introduced many new services to deploy its remote litigation system and ensure the continuity of services during the pandemic. The new system allows litigating parties, including advocates, to register user accounts on the department’s online systems and smart apps.
All judicial notices are now made through SMSs or e-mails, while all cases are prepared remotely using audio-visual systems. Required documents are also exchanged, and case decisions are issued remotely. As a result of the courts’ efforts to develop judicial procedures and automate court processes, remote litigation accounted for 100 percent of all civil actions in 2020. Dubai Courts is working according to a systematic plan to realise the Dubai Government’s vision to achieve a complete transition to smart government, leading to a paperless future by 2021.
The Congress will be held at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City.
Source: Emirates News Agency