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MISKOFI v MILBART [2023] DIFC SCT 385 — Dispute over legal fee transparency and contractual obligations (06 December 2023)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the limitations of challenging legal invoices post-engagement, affirming that clients cannot unilaterally demand fee reductions absent a timely and substantiated objection.
Lihart v Lufant [2022] DIFC SCT 384 — Abuse of the absconding complaint process (08 December 2022)
The dispute arose following the resignation of the Claimant, Lihart, from his position as a Senior Strategy Planning Executive at Lufant. Upon the conclusion of his notice period, Lihart discovered that his former employer had initiated an absconding complaint against him, resulting in a travel…
MERUT v MUSORT [2023] DIFC SCT 383 — Employment entitlements and garden leave enforceability (05 December 2023)
The dispute arose following the Claimant’s resignation from her position at Musort, a DIFC-registered entity, on 2 October 2023. Upon resignation, the Defendant placed the Claimant on garden leave for the duration of her notice period, effectively barring her from generating the commission-based…
Luftin v Lahire [2022] SCT 383 — Employment termination and final settlement disputes (20 December 2022)
The dispute originated from the termination of the Claimant, a chef, who alleged that his employer, Lahire, failed to provide his full final settlement following his dismissal on 14 October 2022.
MOLLYCONSULTANCYLLC v MEGAN LLC [2020] DIFC SCT 382 — Jurisdiction established via accepted terms and conditions (12 January 2021)
The Small Claims Tribunal affirms that a digital acceptance of terms and conditions by an employee constitutes a valid agreement to DIFC jurisdiction, even where both parties are registered outside the DIFC.
NAVEEN v NEDHA [2023] DIFC SCT 381 — Contractual supremacy of written agreements over prior negotiations (15 January 2024)
The dispute centered on a commercial disagreement over unpaid invoices for the supply of seafood and caviar products. The Claimant, Naveen, sought recovery of AED 183,377.66, asserting that the Defendant, Nedha, had received the goods and signed the corresponding invoices but failed to remit…
MICHAEL v MATIDDA [2020] DIFC SCT 381 — Employer rights to mandate vacation leave during notice periods (12 January 2021)
This judgment clarifies the scope of employer authority under the DIFC Employment Law to unilaterally direct employees to exhaust accrued vacation leave during their notice period, reinforcing the primacy of statutory provisions over internal HR policies.
MIKHRU v MIMBA [2023] DIFC SCT 380 — Allocation of utility and registration costs in DIFC lease disputes (12 December 2023)
The Small Claims Tribunal clarifies the statutory obligations of landlords regarding lease registration and utility capacity charges, distinguishing between recurring service costs and tenant-requested administrative fees.
Maci v Magnus Limited [2020] DIFC SCT 380 — Employer liability for visa costs and salary arrears (17 January 2021)
The dispute centered on the Claimant’s demand for unpaid salary and the reimbursement of visa-related expenses following his termination during a probationary period. The Claimant, hired from Canada as a Business Development Manager, sought a total of AED 24,848.35.
LEHANI v LUFIT [2022] DIFC SCT 379 — Internship salary dispute and the limits of DIFC Employment Law (23 November 2022)
The dispute centered on an unpaid internship agreement between the Claimant, Lehani, and the Defendant, Lufit. The Claimant alleged that he had completed an internship period from 12 May 2022 to 26 August 2022, serving as a Business Development Representative.
MR JIMB v MR JUMAN and JIMBAN [2019] DIFC SCT 378 — Tenancy dispute over rent reduction and utility arrears (07 March 2019)
The dispute centered on the recovery of outstanding rental payments and utility charges for a residential unit located within the DIFC. Following the initial filing in December 2018, the Claimant sought to adjust the quantum of the claim to reflect ongoing non-payment.
NAZEEM v NIAMAT [2024] DIFC SCT 377 — Tenancy dispute regarding security deposit deductions (18 October 2024)
The dispute centered on the Claimant’s request for the full return of his AED 8,500 security deposit following the conclusion of his tenancy at a unit within the DIFC. The Claimant, Nicholas James Witty Nazeem, argued that he had returned the unit in the same condition in which it was received,…
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.