Clifford Chance

Enforcing foreign court judgments in Dubai – the DIFC Courts confirm a new avenue

10 March 2016

The DIFC Court of Appeal has held in the recent case of DNB Bank ASA v Gulf Eyadah Corporation & Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC (CA-007-2015) that the DIFC Courts can be used as a conduit jurisdiction to enforce a foreign money judgment onshore in Dubai even when neither party has any assets in the DIFC.

This is a significant judgment as it opens up an alternate avenue for parties seeking enforcement of foreign court judgments or orders against parties' assets based onshore in Dubai (ie outside the DIFC) whereby judgment creditors might not have to satisfy the stringent conditions for enforcement of foreign judgments that apply in the non-DIFC Dubai courts.

This briefing summarises the decision of the DIFC Courts and its practical implications for businesses looking to enforce foreign court judgments in Dubai.

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