Legal system of the United Arab Emirates

The judicial system in the United Arab Emirates is based on the British law, civil law system with influences from Islamic, French, Roman and Egyptian laws.

Under the Constitution, each Emirate is allowed to either establish its own judiciary or to merge with the federal court system.

Federal Court System

The UAE federal system includes courts of first instance (trial court), courts of appeal and the court of cassation (Supreme Court).

State Court System

The State (or Emirate) judicial system (النظام القضائي المحلي "local judicial system") has also trial, appeal and cassation courts. The Emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al-Khaimah have their own courts of cassation.

The UAE penal code is not based strictly on Islamic Sharia, but derives elements from it. Sharia law does exist in the UAE but is only used in specific circumstances, such as in the payment of blood money. Individual emirates have also suspended some Sharia punishments such as flogging, replacing them with jail terms.

Under UAE Law, a juvenile is an individual aged 18 or below. Capital punishment, imprisonment, or fines cannot be imposed as sentences against juveniles who commit criminal offences. The Juveniles law follows a Restorative Justice model focusing on the needs of the young offender. Judges can issue a variety of non-punitive sentences including reprimand, putting young offenders under the supervision of a guardian, or rehabilitation.

In 2015, 40% of all cases examined by prosecutors were related to offences committed by juveniles.

The competence of Sharia Courts has been limited by presence of Civil and Criminal Courts. In some Emirates, particularly Abu Dhabi, however, Sharia law came to apply to all types of civil and commercial disputes, capital criminal offences and matters of personal status. Each of the seven federal Emirates maintains a parallel system of Sharia Courts proper to it.

Flogging is a punishment for certain criminal offences (such as adultery, and alcohol consumption by Muslims) and it is applicable to both genders. Between 2007 and 2014, many people in the UAE were sentenced to 100 lashes.

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