Dubai Civil Court Orders Man to Pay Dh15,000 in Outstanding Tuition Fees

The Dubai Civil Court of First Instance has ordered a man to pay Dh15,000 to an educational institution towards outstanding tuition fees, along with five per cent legal interest from the due date until full settlement, in addition to court fees, expenses and lawyer’s fees.

According to court records, the dispute arose after the institution filed a lawsuit seeking recovery of the value of a cheque issued by the defendant in January 2013 against unpaid tuition fees.

The institution stated that it had repeatedly attempted to recover the amount amicably before serving the defendant with a legal notice in June 2022. After receiving no response, it approached the Centre for Amicable Settlement of Disputes (CASE) before filing the case before the court.

During the proceedings, the defendant argued that the lawsuit was inadmissible, claiming that the plaintiff institution had lost its legal personality. He also contended that the claim had expired due to the lapse of the legally prescribed period for cheque-related claims.

However, the court dismissed these arguments, noting that the defendant failed to provide evidence proving the dissolution of the institution’s legal personality. The court further held that the legal notice served before the expiry of the limitation period interrupted prescription and triggered the commencement of a new legal period.

The court also observed that the defendant had not produced any proof showing payment of the cheque amount. Since the case documents contained no evidence disputing the reason for issuing the cheque or proving the extinction of the payment obligation, the court ruled that the debt remained valid and enforceable.

Accordingly, the court ordered the defendant to pay the outstanding tuition fees of Dh15,000, along with 5 per cent legal interest from the due date until full payment, in addition to court costs, expenses and attorney’s fees.

 
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