Dubai Courts have officially issued Circular No. (1) of 2026 concerning the suspension and extension of judicial time limits, marking an important development for legal practitioners, litigants, and businesses operating in the Emirate.

Key Insights

Retroactive Extension
All statutes of limitation, grievance periods, and appeal deadlines falling between 10 April 2026 and 27 April 2026 have been formally extended.

Protection of Rights
Courts have been expressly directed not to issue rulings based on time-bar defenses, non-hearing, lapse, or inadmissibility during this specified period.

Effective Date
The circular came into force on 28 April 2026.

Authority
The circular was issued by Judge Abdel Qader Moussa Mohammed, Acting Chief Justice for Judicial Affairs, pursuant to Law No. (13) of 2016 governing judicial authority in Dubai.

Why This Matters

This administrative measure is designed to preserve procedural fairness and ensure that no party is disadvantaged by deadlines that arose during the affected period.

If you had a pending appeal, grievance, or procedural deadline that fell between 10 April and 27 April 2026, your rights are now legally safeguarded under this extension