Latest articles
JAVAN v JASLEEN LIMITED [2019] DIFC SCT 376 — Enforcement of Article 18 penalties for delayed salary payments (28 February 2019)
The dispute originated from the Defendant’s failure to timely satisfy a prior judgment, SCT-353-2018, which had ordered the payment of AED 121,810 in terminal dues. Following the Defendant's delay in settling these amounts, the Claimant initiated this new action to recover statutory penalties under…
MERIW v MIDUS [2023] DIFC SCT 375 — Procedural correction of party joinder in the Small Claims Tribunal (27 November 2023)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the procedural boundaries of corporate liability by removing an erroneously named individual manager as a defendant in a commercial dispute.
LACWIT v LIFURT [2022] DIFC SCT 373 — Determining the effective date of termination for statutory penalty calculations (24 November 2022)
The dispute centered on the Claimant’s entitlement to equity compensation and statutory penalties following his departure from the Defendant company. The Claimant, who served as the Head of Business Development, sought the issuance of 17 Class B shares, which he argued were vested under his…
MORUK v MIKRI [2023] DIFC SCT 372 — Jurisdiction dismissal for non-DIFC entities (23 October 2023)
The dispute arose from a professional services relationship between two Dubai-registered entities, Moruk and Mikri, concerning a social media management retainer agreement. The Claimant, Moruk, initiated proceedings in the DIFC Courts’ Small Claims Tribunal to recover outstanding payments allegedly…
LUMRIT v LITIF [2022] DIFC SCT 371 — Enforcement of loan arrears and post-judgment interest (25 November 2022)
The dispute concerned the recovery of outstanding loan arrears arising from a 2015 credit agreement. The Claimant, a bank, initiated proceedings to recover a total of AED 224,170.27, representing the unpaid balance of an original AED 500,000 loan that had fallen into arrears in early 2019.
JINGAL v JANE FZ - LLC [2018] DIFC SCT 368 — Consultancy fee recovery and jurisdictional limits on foreign employment counterclaims (06 March 2019)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the distinction between fixed contractual entitlements and discretionary bonuses, while affirming the jurisdictional boundaries of the DIFC Courts regarding foreign employment disputes.
KAMARI BANK v KAYLIB [2019] DIFC SCT 366 — Enforceability of personal loan and credit card debt in the absence of a formal defence (31 October 2019)
The dispute concerned the recovery of outstanding balances arising from a personal loan and a credit card facility provided by Kamari Bank (PJSC) to the defendant, Ms. Kaylib. The parties had entered into a written agreement on 7 April 2016, which facilitated a loan of AED 250,000 and a credit card…
NURUDDIN v NIHAAL [2024] DIFC SCT 365 — Employment termination for undisclosed conflict of interest (27 November 2024)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the threshold for summary dismissal in the DIFC, affirming that an employer’s reasonable belief in employee misconduct can justify termination even where internal procedural policies are imperfectly followed.
IMAAD v INAYA AND IMRAN BEAUTY SALON [2017] DIFC SCT 365 — Employment claims for unpaid wages and illegal deductions (08 March 2018)
The dispute centered on the termination of the Claimant, who was employed as a "Manicurist" under an Employment Contract dated 7 December 2016. The Claimant alleged that she was verbally terminated in December 2017 without notice or documentation.
Lucile v Loki [2022] DIFC SCT 364 — Strict application of the six-month limitation period for employment claims (28 December 2022)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies that ongoing informal settlement negotiations do not toll the statutory limitation period for filing employment claims under the DIFC Employment Law.
KAZUKI v KAPRICE AND CO. [2019] DIFC SCT 363 — Employment termination for cause and forfeiture of gratuity (26 December 2019)
This Small Claims Tribunal judgment clarifies the threshold for "termination for cause" under DIFC employment law, confirming that criminal convictions for theft serve as conclusive evidence to justify summary dismissal and the subsequent denial of end-of-service entitlements.
LUYAM v LEHAT AND LARST [2022] DIFC SCT 362 — Property dispute over security deposit deductions (05 December 2022)
The dispute arose following the expiration of a one-year lease agreement for a property in the DIFC. Upon vacating the premises, the landlord, Luyam, sought to withhold a portion of the security deposit to cover repair costs identified in a post-tenancy snag report.
MILLIE v MATHEW [2020] DIFC SCT 362 — Enforcement of restructured loan obligations (12 January 2021)
The Small Claims Tribunal affirms the enforceability of a restructured loan agreement and confirms the application of statutory interest rates on judgment debts.
IRMA v ISAAC [2017] DIFC SCT 362 — Employment termination and unpaid entitlements (28 February 2018)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the application of statutory notice periods and the court's power to adjudicate in the absence of a non-responsive employer.
Nest Investments v Deloitte [2021] DIFC TCD 003: The High Cost of Procedural Missteps in Lebanese Law Disputes
How a multi-year battle over audit failures and limitation periods redefined the DIFC’s approach to foreign law evidence
MACHELM v MADGE [2021] DIFC SCT 360 — Permission to appeal construction dispute findings (09 May 2022)
The underlying dispute in Machelm v Madge concerns the accuracy of work completion assessments in a construction contract. Following a judgment issued by SCT Judge Delvin Sumo on 18 April 2022, the Claimant, Machelm, sought to challenge the findings regarding the status of site inspections and the…
Latrisha and Leehi v Leetov Middle East [2021] DIFC SCT 360 — Adjudicating payment disputes for variation works (18 April 2022)
The dispute centered on a claim for payment regarding eight distinct "Variation Works" commissioned under an agreement dated 14 and 18 July 2021. The Claimants sought a total of AED 308,032.84, asserting that the Defendant had formally approved the work and committed to a payment schedule.
Kyle v The Kaitlyn Investment Office [2019] DIFC SCT 359 — Employer’s unilateral deduction of end of service gratuity (23 October 2019)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the strict separation between employment entitlements and independent investment obligations, ruling that employers cannot unilaterally offset gratuity payments against disputed loan note liabilities.
LUTUNE v LACTI [2021] DIFC SCT 358 — Forensic validation of jurisdictional contracts (15 September 2022)
The dispute originated when the Claimant, Lutune, a Saudi Arabian entity, filed a claim in the DIFC Courts’ Small Claims Tribunal seeking the recovery of financial dues allegedly owed by the Defendant, Lacti.
Jaasiel v Jeecia [2018] DIFC SCT 358 — Breach of Letter of Intent and recovery of acquisition deposits (23 June 2019)
The dispute arose from a failed transaction involving the acquisition of "Jagrati Ladies Saloon." The Claimant, Mr. Jaasiel, sought to recover a total of AED 93,125, comprising a deposit of AED 60,000 and AED 34,125 in due diligence costs. The Claimant alleged that the Defendant, Ms.
LITAF v LEDART [2022] DIFC SCT 357 — Admissibility of snag lists in tenancy security deposit disputes (16 November 2022)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the evidentiary weight of move-in condition reports when a landlord disputes the authority of an agent to bind them to pre-existing defect records.
Matar v Manisha [2020] DIFC SCT 357 — Enforcement of personal loan obligations following redundancy (04 January 2021)
The dispute centered on the recovery of an outstanding debt arising from a personal loan agreement entered into by the parties on 28 July 2016. The Claimant, a bank, initiated proceedings after the Defendant ceased making the required monthly installments of AED 12,279.
Nafrin v Nahlah [2024] DIFC SCT 356 — recruitment fee dispute and the burden of proof (16 October 2024)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the evidentiary threshold required for recruitment agencies to claim introduction fees when a candidate is hired by an associate company long after being initially rejected.
Mada v Mabli [2021] DIFC SCT 356 — Debt recovery and jurisdictional limits in consumer banking (21 February 2022)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the necessity of express jurisdictional opt-in clauses for the enforcement of multi-product consumer banking agreements.