Under Article 104 of the Interim Constitution of the United Arab
Emirates (“UAE”), each emirate maintains its own
independent judicial system, except for matters specifically
assigned to the federal courts. For example, the judiciary in the
Emirate of Dubai operates independently from both the federal
judiciary and the local judiciaries of other emirates. All courts
in the UAE are mandated to strictly adhere to their jurisdictional
boundaries and not exceed them.
Jurisdiction is defined by the Constitution, and public order
and cannot be waived or transferred, regardless of the nature of
the proceedings. For instance, Dubai Courts cannot dismiss a case
solely because a court in another Emirate is also addressing the
matter.
