Q: Dear Mrs Khan, I have recently received a Post Dated Bank Cheque from one of my new clients, the cheque date is Thursday 19th Apr 2018. Today, I called this client to find out that they are not answering calls, and when I went to their office I found it closed and many of their suppliers in the corridors complaining about their Bank Cheques that were bounced back (rejected). The owner of this company seems to have already left the UAE and none of his employees is answering the phone. So most probably the bank cheque that they gave me (AED 57250) will bounce back Thursday. So I want to start taking action now. I sold them 10000 boxes of 15 Kg lemon, which they stored in a third-party cold storeroom in Dubai. I went and found that the lemon is still there. Please, could you tell me how can I legally get back my lemon as I'm 100% sure I will not be paid? Thanks in advance and please feel to ask should you need more details.

Q: I have a bounced cheque issued by a person who has already left the country and closed his local bank account. I filed a criminal case with the police some time ago, but there is no result till now. Can I do something else to get the money?

Q: I am seeking compensation for damages from a company that used my name in fraud. I have finished the case until the appeal court and the execution court has ordered that the company assets and accounts be attached until they pay the sum required as per the judgement. The company has been closed since last year and has no more money left in the bank. If there are no more assets of the company I could go after since the company no longer exists, how else can I get justice aside from the words written on a few sheets of my case judgement paper? I've spent a lot and exerted a lot of effort seeking justice for myself, and when it is time to collect what the judge has determined what I should have, apparently there is nothing left. Is there any other legal recourse? Thanks

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: My debtor took cash and purchased his personal flight tickets by my credit cards and went back to Ireland. The total amount is 5000€, and I only have the Whatsapp message to prove that he agreed that he owes me 5000€. He failed to return me money for 7 months. He agreed to return me money on 26th of June, but he failed again. Afterwards, he is not responding to any text or calls regarding paying the debt. He even threatens me to report me to the police because I try to contact him and his family regarding this issue. Should I send him a letter as before legal action? However, I don’t know his address in Ireland. I only found his company’s contact and address. Should I contact his company regarding his debt issue?

Q: Hello, I have a commercial case against a company in Dubai and the Dubai Court gave a decision to the company to pay me back AED 350K, but the owner removed all the assets of the company. Is there any way that I can raise a complaint against him and make him pay for his company? He has a serial fraudster and I know a couple of people from whom he took money to deliver goods that never were delivered. Thanks for your help.

Q: I’m a manufacturer from India. We supplied our product to a company in Dubai. They are not making our payment and delaying it.

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 how to increase chances of getting your invoices paid in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

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 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 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 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).