Criminal Defence

A complaint is filed with the police station for the area where the offence is said to have occurred. The police take statements and refer the file to the Public Prosecution, which alone has the right to bring charges, conduct the investigation and carry the matter to judgment.

You should seek legal advice immediately and avoid making statements without consulting a criminal defense lawyer.

The police take the initial complaint and statements. The Public Prosecution decides whether a charge follows, directs the investigation and may order precautionary measures such as a travel ban. What is said at the police stage forms part of the file the Public Prosecution reads.

Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 on Crimes and Penalties, in force since 2 January 2022, which replaced the 1987 Penal Code. It classifies offences as felonies, misdemeanours and infractions. Procedure is governed separately by the Criminal Procedures Law.

Yes. Complaints involving alleged fraud, breach of trust or regulatory breaches are commonly directed at a company and at named individuals within it, which is why the two positions need assessing separately at the outset.

Yes, all legal consultations are handled with strict confidentiality and professional ethics.

Rights of audience before the UAE courts are reserved to registered advocates. We provide advisory support and, where a matter requires representation, we instruct and work alongside a registered advocate. We tell clients which of the two their matter needs at the first meeting.

Take advice before giving an account. Statements made early are difficult to qualify later, and the documentary record that supports your position is usually best assembled before rather than after.