UAE Court Dismisses Husband’s Lawsuit Seeking to Recover Unpaid Dowry From Late Wife’s Relative

A civil court in the UAE has dismissed a husband’s lawsuit seeking Dh40,000, which he claimed was the unpaid balance of his late wife’s dowry. The man had demanded the amount from one of her relatives, along with Dh10,000 in damages and 9 per cent annual interest.

 

According to court documents, the husband asserted that he had agreed to pay his wife a dowry of Dh80,000, of which she had received only Dh40,000 during her lifetime. He argued that the remaining sum was retained by her relative, who allegedly promised to return it but failed to do so even after the wife’s death.

 

The plaintiff also cited the relative’s admission before a reconciliation committee that he had received the money. However, the judges ruled that this alone was insufficient to establish liability. Referring to Article 56 of Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 (UAE Personal Status Law), which defines a dowry as the husband’s exclusive obligation to his wife, the court noted that the dowry must be proven as a debt owed directly to the wife, not her family members, unless there is clear evidence to the contrary.

 

The court also applied Article 113 of the UAE Civil Transactions Law (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985), which stipulates that “the presumption is that a debt does not exist unless proven.” Judges held that the husband had failed to provide proof that his wife had not received the full dowry during her lifetime.

 

On this basis, the court rejected the claim in its entirety and ordered the husband to bear all legal fees and expenses.

 

 

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