QICDRC allows single judge hearings, halves appeal time and introduces new fees regulations

The Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) has enacted Law No 16 of 2024, which allows single judge hearings, reduces appeal time to 30 days from 60 days and introduces new court fee regulations.

The Law No 16 of 2024, issued by His Highness the Amir, amends certain provisions of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Law No 7 of 2005; which seeks to expedite judicial procedures for resolving disputes with efficiency and quality to ensure litigants' rights, achieve swift justice and reduce litigation time.

This comes in light of previous amendments to the QFC Law No 7 of 2005 and Law No 15 of 2021, which amended some provisions of Law No 34 of 2005 concerning free zones. These amendments extended the jurisdiction of QICDRC to include disputes in free zones and appeals against decisions of the Qatar Free Zones Authority.

The latest amendment allows single judge hearings. The new law addresses the formation of the First Instance Circuit in the QFC Civil and Commercial Court and the QFC Regulatory Tribunal in response to the rising number of cases. Earlier, these chambers were composed of three judges.

Under the new law, each chamber may be composed of a single judge or three judges, as determined by the president of the Civil and Commercial Court, depending on the nature and circumstances of the case.

This change is designed to streamline the judicial process and improve procedural efficiency in both the QFC Civil and Commercial Court and the QFC Regulatory Tribunal.

The amendment reduces the appeal period for judgments issued at the first instance of the QFC Civil and Commercial Court and the QFC Regulatory Tribunal from 60 days to 30 days. This change aligns with practices in other courts in the state and contributes to achieving swift justice and reducing litigation time.

The introduction of new court fee regulations is intended to ensure the seriousness of disputes and deter frivolous claims, contributing to a more focused and efficient judicial system.

These laws represent a significant advancement in our legal framework, and QICDRC is committed to supporting the implementation of these laws and ensuring that all legal professionals, stakeholders, and the general public are well-informed about the changes and their implications.

Designed to have international standards in dispute resolution, QICDRC is part of the strategy of QFC to attract international business and financial services to Qatar. The judges hail from a variety of civil and common law jurisdictions including Qatar, England and Wales, Scotland, Cyprus, India, Hong Kong, China and South Africa.