Types of Criminal Law cases

What is Criminal law?

Criminal Law, as against Civil Law, may be a system of law that specialize in punishing those that commit criminal acts. In most cases, legislative statutes establish criminal acts and their punishments. However, Criminal Law varies based on jurisdiction.

Generally, there are four main aspects, or elements, of common law-based legal code that has got to be proven to convict a defendant of an alleged crime.

However, criminal cases must be clearly defined against civil cases. Crimes are offenses against the society or state as an entire. Civil cases are typically disagreements between individuals about legal responsibilities they own each other. Punishments for Criminal and civil cases are different from each other. Civil cases will only require monetary damages or will be given things to do.

Criminal law case may differ per offenses. Crimes under the UAE legal code are divided into three categories counting on the seriousness of the punishment which will be applied:

Contraventions (violations)

A contravention is any act or omission punishable under the laws or regulations, by one or both of the two following penalties:

• Custody for not less than twenty four hours and not more than ten days.
• A fine not exceeding one thousand Dirhams.

Misdemeanours

Misdemeanors are petty crimes and are just minor offenses. A misdemeanour is an offence that is punishable by one or more of the following penalties:

• Confinement.
• Fine of more than a thousand Dirhams.
• Diyat (payment of ‘blood money’)

Felonies (the most serious)

Felony on the other hand, is a major crime, felonies are crimes punishable by one of the following penalties:

• Diyat (payment of ‘blood money’)
• Temporary imprisonment
• Life imprisonment
• The Death penalty

Felony on the other hand, is a major crime committed and is punishable by imprisonment for more than a year.

What is the practice, structure and scope of the criminal courts?

The Dubai court is empowered to imprison, fine and acquit accused persons charged with criminal offences.

Proceedings presented before Dubai courts normally in Arabic language. Accordingly, all the court pleadings are going to be drafted in Arabic and official Arabic translations of all the documents upon which parties seek to rely are going to be necessary.

UAE Court System

The court comprises of three stages:

• The Court of First Instance
• The Court of Appeal
• The Cassation court (final appeal court)

The misdemeanour Court of First Instance consists of a single judge while the felony court comprises three judges.

Conclusion

Proceedings of criminal case in the UAE can be complex and daunting, especially for expats who may not speak Arabic. The above overview should assist those contemplating making a criminal complaint or those subject to at least one. Although the process may be very different to that found in other jurisdictions, many of the fundamentals will be the same, such as the right of the accused to present a defence and the right to appeal.

Quick Services: criminal lawyers in Dubai

Nour attorneys are professional Law firms in Dubai, to work with in order to cut off the pressure of the most important problems you might have.