Divorce in the emirate rises by 20 per cent

The total number of divorces that the Dubai Family Court sanctioned in 2009 increased by 20 per cent over 2008 according to statistics released by the court to this website. The court ruled on 727 cases last year, compared to 656 cases in 2008. These cases covered various nationalities including Emiratis, Emiratis and foreigners and just foreigners as well. The rising number of divorces comes despite the best efforts of the Family Guidance and Reconciliation department, whose mandate it is to sort out family disputes and find solutions to prevent divorce. The department received about 2,750 cases of family disputes in 2009, an increase of 12 per cent over 2008. The department says it succeeded in solving 60 per cent of the cases, while 40 per cent were then referred to the family court. The family court on its part also uses alternative channels to look into family cases especially concerning expatriates. The Dubai courts recently also extended its work hours to include a 3 pm to 8 pm shift during which queries about submission of applications, access to verdicts and documentation issues will be dealt with.