I received a judgment for a criminal case that I did not know about. Should I appeal it?

Do not file an appeal, but rather a different request called an objection.

If you file an appeal directly, you will lose one stage of the litigation process.

Hello,

In Dubai, criminal judgments become enforceable once issued, unless you file an appeal within the statutory deadline.

Under the UAE Criminal Procedure Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022), the time limit for appealing a criminal judgment is generally 15 days from the date of issuance or notification.

Article (234) Appeal Procedures

1. The appeal shall be established by filing a statement of appeal with the criminal clerk's office within fifteen [15] days of the date of pronouncement of the judgment rendered in the presence of the parties, or as of the date of judgment rendered on the opposition proceeding.

2. If the convict is imprisoned, he may file a statement of appeal to the prisoner's director, and the latter shall, forthwith, submit the same to the criminal clerk's office.

3. If the convict is released on bail, the court of appeal may release him based on an undertaking or any other security as determined by the Court, until the appeal proceeding is adjudicated on.

4. The Attorney General may appeal any judgment within thirty [30] days as of the judgment date.

Article (235) Appealing the Judgments Rendered as if in Presence

For the judgment rendered as if in the presence of the litigant, as defined in Articles [190] and [191] in this Law, their appeal time limit shall commence, with regard to the party in whose absence they are rendered, as of the date of service.

If you were tried in absentia (without attending), the law allows you to apply for opposition to the judgment once you become aware of it, provided you act within the prescribed period after being notified.

If more than 6 months have passed and you did not lodge an appeal or opposition within the statutory period, the judgment will usually become final and enforceable.

However, if you can prove that you were not properly notified or that you only recently became aware of the case, you may still have grounds to submit an application to reopen the case or to oppose the in absentia judgment, depending on the stage and nature of the case.

The next step is to check the case details in the Dubai Public Prosecution or the Dubai Courts system to confirm whether the judgment was issued, whether it was in absentia, and whether enforcement has begun.

With this information, it can be determined if you still have a legal remedy or if enforcement is the only outcome.

I recommend that you allow me to check your case details and guide you on the correct procedure to either file an opposition, appeal.

You may contact me by phone or email so we can review the exact status of your case and advise accordingly.

If you prefer to have a direct discussion, please let me know, and I will guide you on how we may proceed.

Alternatively, if you require further clarification, you may kindly share your WhatsApp number here so that I can provide more detailed assistance.

Dear Questioner,

In criminal cases in Dubai, if a judgment has already been issued and more than the statutory appeal period (15 days from notification of judgment) has passed, then the judgment is normally considered final and enforceable.

However, if you were not properly notified or were unaware of the proceedings, there may still be legal remedies available, such as filing an objection or requesting a retrial under specific circumstances.

The next step depends on the current status of your case in the court records and whether any judgment has been issued in your absence. We can assist you in:

- Checking the status of the case with the relevant authorities.

- Determining whether an appeal, objection, or special application is possible in your situation.

- Guiding you through the process of suspending or challenging enforcement, if applicable.

If you would like to proceed, we can arrange a detailed consultation and review your case documents to advise you on the best course of action.

Best regards,

Mohammad Salah

Legal Consultant

Dear Inquirer,

Thank you for your message.

We understand your concern regarding the criminal case registered against you in Dubai related to a Telegram scam and the uncertainty about whether you can still appeal or if the judgment will now be enforced.

This matter requires a detailed review of the case status and court records to determine the available legal remedies.

Kindly contact us to schedule a 15-minute free consultation so we can examine your situation and provide you with clear guidance.

Alternatively, you may contact us by email or call our offices in Dubai, Sharjah, or RAK.

We look forward to assisting you in addressing this matter.

Warm regards,

Jasim Al Haddad Advocates & Legal Consultants

You only recently learned about a criminal case in Dubai related to a Telegram scam.

Cases can proceed even if the accused is unaware, depending on notification.

Appealing the Case

If the judgment hasn’t been enforced, you may be able to file an appeal, even late, by proving you were unaware of the case.

If the judgment has been enforced, you may need to request reconsideration or challenge the judgment based on a lack of proper notification.

Immediate Steps

- Check the case status with the Dubai Courts or Public Prosecution.

- Obtain a copy of the case file and any judgment.

- Hire a UAE criminal lawyer experienced in online fraud/telecom cases.

- Prepare a justification proving you were unaware to support a late appeal or reconsideration.

If you wish to be represented, please contact us via email or by phone.

Dear Inquirer,

In criminal cases, the right to appeal is strictly time-bound, and once the legal deadlines have passed, judgments may become final and enforceable.

However, options may still exist depending on the type of judgment, whether you were properly notified, and other legal circumstances.

We recommend booking a consultation with Future Vision for Advocacy and Legal Consultancy so we can review your case documents and advise you on the best legal strategy.

You may also authorize our office to represent you before the courts if needed.

Best regards.

Thank you for contacting us via Legal Advice Middle East.

Your situation concerns a criminal case in Dubai linked to an online scam, where you only discovered the judgment after more than six months.

We have managed a very similar case in which our client was convicted in absentia without knowledge of the proceedings.

The court allowed us to reopen the file and request a retrial, as UAE law provides a mechanism to challenge judgments issued in the absence of the accused once they are aware of the case.

You have two main legal options. The first is to apply to set aside the in-absentia judgment and request a retrial, but this must be done within the permitted timeframe from the date you became aware of the judgment.

The second is to file an appeal if the law still allows it in your situation. The risk of not acting quickly is that the judgment may move into execution, leading to enforcement measures such as fines, imprisonment, or travel restrictions.

Our strategy in such cases is to immediately verify the case details with the Dubai court system, obtain the judgment copy, and file the correct petition either for retrial or appeal.

To give you accurate advice, we would need your case number, any court notifications, and your Emirates ID or passport copy.

At RASHID ALKAITOOB ADVOCATES & LEGAL CONSULTANTS, we have successfully overturned similar in-absentia convictions, ensuring our clients received a fair defense.

Our multilingual team (Arabic, English, Russian, Hindi, and Chinese) can act swiftly to protect your rights.