Q: We are a Dubai-based company and had business relationship with another Dubai registered company whose owner is Lebanese. The company owes us close to AED 1.8 million as their cheques were dishonoured. We have filed a case against the company with Dubai Police, but the owner has since returned to Lebanon. Although we have contact with him he is not committing as to when he will pay us. Can we file a case against him in Lebanon, and if so, how do we go about it?

Q: I issued a post-dated cheque in favour of someone. Now, I would like to change my bank account to some other bank. Are there any legal issues in such cases?

Q: I am the managing director of a company. A creditor is threatening to put a travel ban on me. I have not issued a cheque to this creditor. Can he really put a travel ban on me?

Q: Hi Someone has given me a cheque and account is closed since long back. What can I do in this case to get my money back? Please help

Q: We are an LLC company in Dubai, an India resident. We sold goods to a general trading company in Dubai. He paid 30 % cash and a balance in a post-dated cheque of AED 63000. We presented the cheque two times, and the cheque bounced 2 times. We have gone to the office many times but the office is closed and the person ran away to India. As we are also Indian, after a court case in Dubai can we file a case against the person in India?

Q: A person who owes me money gave me a PDC dated 1/2/2019. I deposited the cheque on 1/6/2019 and the cheque was returned saying "the account is closed". How much time do I have to file a police complaint and to file a suit against him? The cheque amount is AED 750,000/-

Q: I had a non-dated cheque given by an Indian individual against the money given to him for his trading business promising that he will give some profit every month and return the money within six months. However, he failed to give monthly profit after two months and I came to know that he cancelled his residence visa and planning to leave the country. I have presented the cheque (312K AED) at the bank and got insufficient funds note and registered a criminal case at a Dubai police station. However, next day morning he left to India through Emirates Airlines. I am still wondering how he could leave when travel ban is there which I was told that will be automatically effective once I get case number which I got the previous day. I came to know from other friends that he has a plan to migrate to Canada soon. What are the next steps I should take to recover my money?

Q: Hi, I hold an execution file from Dubai Court for a bounced cheque. The debtor (defendant) fled the country to his home country, Ethiopia. What are some scenarios that can help with my case? For instance, is this execution order enforceable in Ethiopia? I’m unsure if the UAE has a judicial treaty with Ethiopia. Can someone advise, please? Regards,

In the UAE, cheque bounce is a very frequent problem faced by people during their span in the country. It is covered under the purview of Commercial Transactions Law, and legal implications/penalties can be financially severe and daunting for more “serious” offenses. Bounced cheque issues may arise in a variety of commercial transactions, including but not limited to, companies’ exchanges, bank loans, property rents or purchases, and individual transactions.

An interview-format article covering the topic of loans and bounced cheques in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

Many people opt to go for litigation without hiring a legal professional, mainly because they can't afford it. This article provides a brief summary of the steps and procedures of litigation. As the process itself can be confusing to many, even after getting a favorable judgment, we present some tips to help them execute judgments issued by the court and get their rights if an amicable solution has not been reached.

سبق أن نشرنا على هذا الموقع مقالاً عن العدالة الناجزة، وأشرنا إلى أن المعنى الصحيح لهذه الفكرة ينبغي توجيهه إلى التنفيذ، بحيث يظهر فيه عنصر الإنجاز، وتتجلى فيه صفة السرعة، وذلك بدلاً من إصدار الأحكام ذاتها بسرعة كبيرة ثم تخديرها في مرحلة التنفيذ حتى تموت.

This Law promulgates the Federal Penal Code (Criminal Law) of the United Arab Emirates. Crimes and chastisement punishments shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other penal codes.

This Law applies to merchants, as well as to all acts of commerce carried out in the UAE by any person even though he be not a trader. Commercial matters regarding which specific Federal laws are issued shall be subject to the provisions of such laws, and to the provisions hereof which do not contradict with said laws.

The provisions of this law, promulgating UAE Civil Code, govern the civil transactions in the United Arab Emirates. The commercial transactions remain subject to the laws and regulations applicable in their regard.

The law promulgates UAE Civil Procedures Code (Civil Procedure Law) which governs civil procedures in the United Arab Emirates, including the prosecution before the courts, litigation and execution.

The provisions of this Decree by Law amend the Federal Law No. (18) of 1993 by replacing Clause (4) of Article (379) as well as Articles (600), (617), (641), (642), (643), (644), and adding new articles numbered (635) Bis, (641) Bis (1), (641) Bis (2), (641) Bis (3), (641) Bis (4), (643) Bis (1), (643) Bis (2), (644) Bis (1) and (644) Bis (2). The Decree-Law also repeals Articles (401), (402) and (403) of the Federal Law No. (3) of 1987.

The provisions of this Federal Decree-Law No. (31) of 2021 Promulgating the Crimes and Penalties Law, known as the "New UAE Penal Code", governs criminal actions in the United Arab Emirates. The New Penal Code repeals the previous UAE Penal Code (Federal Law No. (3) of 1987 Promulgating the Penal Code).