Dubai Court of Cassation Sets Clear Rules on Appeal Deadlines for Attorney General

The Dubai Court of Cassation has established an important judicial precedent on how deadlines are calculated for appeals filed by the Attorney General in the interest of the law in civil cases.

The ruling followed an appeal submitted by Counsellor Essam Al-Humaidan, Attorney General of Dubai, and seeks to standardise judicial practice while ensuring the correct interpretation of relevant legal provisions.

The court held that when any party files an appeal -- whether by way of review or cassation -- the time limit for the Attorney General to lodge an appeal in the interest of the law is automatically suspended from the date the parties’ appeal is submitted. This suspension remains in force until the parties’ appeal is finally decided.

According to the judgment, the Attorney General’s deadline resumes only after a ruling is issued on the parties’ appeal, in line with the established jurisprudence of the Court of Cassation.

In explaining its reasoning, the court said the approach prevents procedural conflicts and avoids the duplication of appeals against the same judgment. It also strikes a balance between the litigants’ right to pursue appeals at two judicial levels and the Attorney General’s exceptional power to appeal in the interest of the law, which is intended to correct legal errors without affecting the legal positions of the parties.

The court further emphasised that such appeals do not reopen the substance of the dispute but are aimed at consolidating sound legal principles and ensuring their consistent interpretation and application. This, it said, supports the stability of judicial rulings, enhances public confidence in the justice system, and underlines the supervisory role of the Court of Cassation in safeguarding established judicial principles.

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