Expatriates living in the UAE must be aware of the laws governing their family matters, especially regarding divorce. The country has been updating its legal system to make it more attractive to foreigners. These reforms include the introduction of new laws governing marriage, wills, child custody, and inheritance of assets. Contact on the following number to hire the best family lawyer in Dubai.
The first of these laws is the Personal Status law. This law covers all aspects of family law, from divorce to inheritance. Its most significant feature is that it applies to both Muslim and non-Muslim residents. It also allows expatriates to request the application of local or foreign law to their cases. The law also allows non-Muslim residents to choose whether to follow Muslim or secular law for their family matters.
The law will also allow non-Muslim couples to marry in civil court in Abu Dhabi. This is a big step forward for gender equality in the UAE. Since the new law was announced, it has been met with some enthusiasm. It will give non-Muslims an alternative to the Sharia system and give the emirate a more competitive edge regarding its appeal to foreigners.
The new law is also expected to improve the judicial system by allowing non-Muslim judges to preside over family issues. This is expected to be in effect in December. The government hopes it will strengthen its court judgments’ credibility when the emirate wishes to seek recognition overseas.
The new law is a good start, but more work must be done to ensure that all UAE residents have equal rights and opportunities. Some of the more notable features of the new law are its inclusion of child custody and inheritance law and its new alimony law.
The government has also introduced a dedicated family court to handle all family law and inheritance cases. To get a hearing in this court, both parties must be 21 years of age and submit a declaration form. The court will then refer the case to a family guidance department that will attempt to settle the dispute through mediation.