Asan Tata— November 15, 2026Dubai is planning the Dubai judicial services portal, a single online platform using artificial intelligence to speed up court work. The plan was reviewed on 15 November 2026 by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Judicial Council. The same review covered strong results from Dubai’s Rental Disputes Centre and a wider role for the Judicial Police: rental appeals now take 23 days, and the centre cleared 94.8 per cent of appellate cases registered in the first nine months of 2026.
Quick Answer
Dubai plans a centralised digital portal for the Dubai Judicial Expertise Centre, where judicial bodies will send and manage expert requests in one place, with artificial intelligence used to improve the service. The portal is a plan under review, not a live service yet, so there is no launch date or website to visit today. At the same time, the Rental Disputes Centre cut the average appeal time from 46.8 days in 2025 to 23 days in 2026, and the Judicial Police, in force since 1 July 2026, now also handle compulsory enforcement and child visitation and custody hand-over decisions.
What Was Announced on 15 November 2026
Sheikh Maktoum reviewed three things in one meeting: the action plan of the Dubai Judicial Expertise Centre, the performance indicators of the Rental Disputes Centre (RDC) for January to 29 September 2026, and the operational results of the Judicial Police. He said Dubai continues to develop its judicial system through strategic projects and real improvements in service efficiency and the swift delivery of justice. “Our judicial system is a pillar of stability and trust. In Dubai, justice and leadership advance hand in hand,” he said.
Dubai Judicial Services Portal: What It Will Do
The centrepiece of the announcement is a centralised digital portal for the Dubai Judicial Expertise Centre. Under the action plan, the portal will receive and process requests for experts, and it will manage the centre’s operations and services in one digital system. A judge or a judicial authority may need a technical expert, for example an engineer, a doctor, an accountant or a property valuer. Today that flow involves several steps and several bodies, and a single portal would put it in one place. The plan also calls for closer digital integration with other judicial entities and for artificial intelligence to improve services. No detail has been published yet on which AI tools will be used, or on a launch date, so readers should treat the portal as a project in progress, not as a service they can use today.
What Is the Dubai Judicial Expertise Centre?
The Dubai Judicial Expertise Centre is a public institution linked to the Dubai Judicial Council. It was created by a law issued by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in August 2025. It began its executive operations on 15 August 2026. Its job is to support Dubai’s judicial authorities with qualified experts. When a court case needs specialist knowledge, the centre appoints the right expert and manages the expert report, drawing on in-house experts, private-sector experts listed in its official registry, experts from government entities, and global expert institutions when needed. It sets unified standards for appointing, supervising and evaluating experts.
Rental Disputes Centre: Faster Decisions in 2026
The strongest numbers came from the Rental Disputes Centre, the body that decides disputes between landlords and tenants in Dubai. Its results for January to 29 September 2026 show clear gains in speed, while accuracy in rulings was maintained. At the First Instance Committees, the average time to resolve a case from the first hearing fell from 19.6 days in 2025 to 14 days in 2026, and the average time from registration to resolution fell from 36.7 days to 27 days. At the Appellate Committees, the average time from the first hearing fell from 27.8 days to 12 days, and the average time from registration to resolution fell from 46.8 days to 23 days. An appeal that took about six and a half weeks in 2025 now takes just over three weeks.
The rate of appellate cases resolved against cases registered during the period reached 94.8 per cent, above the target of 90 per cent. In plain terms, the centre resolved almost 95 out of every 100 appeal cases that came in. The centre is also working to update its legislative and regulatory framework and expand its mandate.
| Rental Disputes Centre measure | 2025 | Jan–Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| First Instance: first hearing to resolution | 19.6 days | 14 days |
| First Instance: registration to resolution | 36.7 days | 27 days |
| Appellate: first hearing to resolution | 27.8 days | 12 days |
| Appellate: registration to resolution | 46.8 days | 23 days |
| Appellate clearance rate | Not stated | 94.8% (target 90%) |
How to File a Rental Dispute at the RDC
The faster timelines matter only if you know how to use the centre. The Rental Disputes Centre was set up by Decree No. 26 of 2013 within the Dubai Land Department, and it has exclusive jurisdiction over rental disputes in Dubai, including most free zones. You can file a case online at rdc.gov.ae, or in person at a Real Estate Services Trustee centre. Before a tribunal hears a case, the RDC’s conciliation team first tries to settle the dispute, and if it settles there, half of the claim fee is refunded.
You normally need your Ejari tenancy contract, your Emirates ID, your bank account details (IBAN letter) and your evidence, such as messages, emails, photos or invoices. The RDC works in Arabic, so English documents must be translated by a legal translator certified by the Ministry of Justice. The filing fee depends on the type of claim. For eviction, lease renewal, rent claims, ending a lease that is still running and returning to a rebuilt property, the fee is 3.5 per cent of the annual rent, with a minimum of AED 500 and a maximum of AED 20,000. For money claims, such as an unreturned deposit, the fee is 3.5 per cent of the amount claimed, from AED 500 to AED 15,000. Fixed service and knowledge fees of about AED 120 apply on top. For example, on a home rented at AED 80,000 a year, the fee for an eviction case is AED 2,800 plus the fixed fees.
| Claim type | Fee | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eviction, renewal, rent claim, lease termination | 3.5% of annual rent | AED 500 | AED 20,000 |
| Money claims (deposit, unpaid amounts) | 3.5% of amount claimed | AED 500 | AED 15,000 |
One warning matters: under the RDC’s rules, judgments on claims under AED 100,000 are final and cannot be appealed, according to legal reporting on the decree. Most deposit claims fall below that figure, so your first filing is often your only chance. Prepare every document before you file, and check the current fee schedule on the RDC website first, because fees can change.
Judicial Police: A Bigger Role in Enforcement
The third part of the review covered the Judicial Police, a joint initiative between Dubai’s judicial entities and Dubai Police. The unit took up its executive mandate on 1 July 2026, to strengthen direct coordination and speed up the enforcement of court rulings and decisions. In its first two months, it recorded a 19.2 per cent reduction in the number of people wanted under arrest-and-bring orders. Sheikh Maktoum was also briefed on the expansion of the Judicial Police’s operational responsibilities. The wider remit now includes compulsory enforcement, the execution of child visitation and custody hand-over decisions, and judicial coordination. For residents, the message is simple: a court decision in Dubai is now backed by a dedicated enforcement arm that works directly with Dubai Police.
What This Means for Tenants and Landlords
Most residents will feel these changes through rental cases, because that is where ordinary people meet Dubai’s courts most often. First, the shorter timelines reduce the cost of a dispute: a case that ends in 27 days instead of 37 days means fewer weeks of uncertainty, and an appeal that ends in 23 days instead of 47 days means a faster final answer. Second, the conciliation step still comes first. Many cases settle before a hearing, and settling there refunds half the filing fee. If you have a dispute, try to settle in writing with the other side before you file, and keep the messages as evidence.
Third, enforcement is getting stronger. A ruling in your favour is only useful if it is enforced, and the Judicial Police’s wider role is aimed at exactly that gap. Keep copies of every ruling, receipt and payment, because enforcement starts from your documents.
What Happens Next
No launch date has been announced for the judicial services portal, and no public website has been named. The action plan is under review by the Dubai Judicial Council. Residents should watch for the launch announcement, most likely through the Dubai Media Office or Dubai Courts, and for any change to the RDC’s framework. Until the portal launches, nothing changes in how you use Dubai’s judicial services.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Law creates Dubai Judicial Expertise Centre | August 2025 | Done |
| Judicial Police take executive mandate | 1 July 2026 | Done |
| Judicial Expertise Centre begins operations | 15 August 2026 | Done |
| RDC results reviewed (Jan–Sep 2026) | 15 November 2026 | Done |
| Centralised judicial services portal | Not announced | Planned |
| RDC framework and mandate update | Not announced | In progress |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Dubai judicial services portal live yet?
No. The portal is part of the centre’s action plan, reviewed on 15 November 2026. No launch date or web address has been announced, so do not trust any website that claims to be the portal before an official announcement.
How fast does the Rental Disputes Centre decide cases now?
For January to September 2026, first instance cases took an average of 14 days from the first hearing and 27 days from registration. Appeals took 12 days from the first hearing and 23 days from registration, with a 94.8 per cent clearance rate. These are averages, so a complex case can take longer.
How much does it cost to file a rental dispute in Dubai?
For eviction, renewal, rent and lease termination cases, the fee is 3.5 per cent of the annual rent, from AED 500 to AED 20,000. For money claims such as a deposit refund, it is 3.5 per cent of the amount claimed, from AED 500 to AED 15,000, plus fixed fees of about AED 120. Check the RDC website before filing.
Can I appeal an RDC decision?
It depends on the value of the claim. Judgments on claims under AED 100,000 are final and cannot be appealed, according to legal reporting on Decree No. 26 of 2013. Larger claims can go to the Appellate Committees, so prepare all documents before you file.
What does the Judicial Police do?
The Judicial Police are a joint initiative of Dubai’s judicial entities and Dubai Police. They took up their mandate on 1 July 2026 to speed up enforcement of court rulings. Their remit now includes compulsory enforcement, child visitation and custody hand-over decisions, and judicial coordination. In their first two months, wanted persons under arrest-and-bring orders fell by 19.2 per cent.
What is the Dubai Judicial Expertise Centre?
It is a public institution under the Dubai Judicial Council, created by law in August 2025 and operating since 15 August 2026. It supplies qualified experts to Dubai’s courts and manages expert reports. It appoints experts from its own staff, from a registry of private-sector experts, from government entities and, when needed, from global expert institutions.
Disclaimer
This article is general information based on the Dubai Media Office announcement of 15 November 2026, reporting by Gulf News, WAM and other outlets, and published RDC fee and process information. It is not legal advice. Court rules, fees and timelines can change. Check the RDC website at rdc.gov.ae or speak to a licensed legal adviser in the UAE before you file a case.
Last Updated: 15 November 2026
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