No court hearing for people wanted in civil cases

Dubai - Dubai Courts introduces smart hearing, which ensures privacy of people caught in legal battle

In a big relief to people fighting civil cases, the Dubai Courts has introduced virtual hearings, the first of its kind in the region. It ensures privacy and dignity of people embroiled in financial disputes due to unexpected circumstances.
The Skype-assisted virtual hearing method titled 'Zhara' covers wanted individuals in two categories: People against whom an arrest warrant was issued; and those placed under provisional detention at the Central Prison. The application to conduct virtual hearings are installed on judges' smart phones. In urgent cases, judges can hold a brief hearing with them even outside working hours.
The civil execution judges at the Dubai Courts has been using Zhara  for the hearing sessions with people involved in financial lawsuits since July. The smart system is directly linked with the general directorate of criminal investigation and general department of punitive and correctional establishments.
"Through the new system, we are offering full privacy to the people involved," Judge Khaled Al Mansouri told Khaleej Times.
Usually, when caught, those in wanted list are sent to the general department of wanted people at the general command of Dubai Police. The CID officers at the department produce them before the Dubai Courts the next morning. "Under the new system, the execution judge can communicate with the wanted individual while the latter is in police custody," Judge Al Mansouri added.

"No more traffic hassles, or the need for police guards or equipped cars. No more road risks of any kind. It can be cases of bad cheques, money claims, business dealings. They come from all walks of life. It could be an employer facing a labour dispute.
"They would come to the courtroom feeling embarrassed, shy and very often hiding their faces. However, the new system has spared them all of those. They remain where they are, at the general department of wanted people, and feel at ease while they are being heard by a judge."
It is also time-saving as a judge can order release or detention of the person in no more than five minutes. Other benefits it saves huge amount of money, manpower and the court halls will not be crowded.
"With the new unique and distinct system, we are moving further ahead towards achieving our strategic goals of having pioneering judiciary worldwide. We are realising the UAE vision of implementing the smart government," Judge Al Mansouri said.
Two hearings held under new system
Judge Fatima Ismael Mohammed interviewed two wanted persons and ordered them be released from police custody in a few minutes after asking them to deposit their passports.
An Asian woman manager, involved in a Dh1.8million commercial case, told the judge she had filed a request before the Court of Appeals to halt the execution procedures against her. A lawsuit, which had been filed against her and her employer, had reached a verdict ordering them to settle the amount. But she failed to meet the deadline and as she signed the cheques she was caught and referred to the execution judge.
In the second hearing via the new system, an Arab man, who had defaulted on payment of Dh206,000 pleaded before the judge to allow him to settle his dues by installments. The judge ordered his release after giving him one month deadline to clear his dues.
7 judges to handle smart hearing
Seven execution judges, including a woman judge and two judges for Personal Status Court, will come under the purview of the new system.
The new system will be put in place- at a later stage - for interpreters to translate, if necessary, during the hearing from a different room.
The judges are allowed to tackle the execution procedure in cases related to properties, labour, civil damages, personal status and commercial claims. The law has given the judge the authority to exert discretion when looking into cases and issue rulings accordingly.
When caught for the first time, the judge will look into how positive and forthcoming the person would be regarding the obligations he has to settle.
The rent disputes settlement centre at the land department has started using the method recently.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

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