“The court helps accelerate the pace of commercial dispute resolution”
He added that the self-service office is a large room equipped with all the equipment and technical means allowing auditors to register and follow up complaints through the electronic portal through modern computers connected to the Internet and equipped with a scanner in order to to upload documents. and paper documents. He also said that a group of specialists work in the self-service office, which provides assistance and technical support to auditors.
He pointed out that the self-service system is one of the tribunal’s most important achievements and is a milestone that distinguishes the investment tribunal from other international trade and investment tribunals. Thanks to self-service, the registration rate through the online portal has increased to around 97% of the total number of cases. The remaining 3% are for people with special needs and the elderly.
He believed that the self-service system has many advantages for litigants, including: training litigants on the method of recording and attaching notes in a correct manner, in addition to training them on the method of entry and use of the judicial system by creating a username and password through the national authentication program so that the auditor can track claims and cases.
He underlined that it was crucial for the court to keep pace with international standards in terms of quality of services, ease of procedures and reduction of time required at all stages of litigation.
He referred to the agreements and memorandums of understanding signed by the tribunal since its establishment last year. He noted that the company had signed a three-year agreement with Singaporean firm CrimsonLogic to develop a system for managing commercial lawsuits and resolving civil and commercial disputes. The agreement aims to provide an integrated electronic commercial dispute management system and a comprehensive platform for all legal proceedings related to courts and relevant units to ensure and achieve information sharing, data management , dealing with all litigants through multiple channels, and facilitating commercial dispute resolution requirements. The tribunal also signed two memorandums of understanding with the Qatar Association of Chartered Accountants and the Qatar Society of Engineers, as part of the development of the tribunal’s accounting and technical expertise to improve the quality and accuracy of the court’s judicial process.
He said the court consists of primary and appeal circuits, in addition to a circuit at the Court of Cassation specializing in hearing appeals against decisions made by the court.
Regarding the case management department, he confirmed that the court witnessed the first application of the case management system in the State of Qatar, indicating that this system is responsible for preparing the case under the judicial supervision of a way that reduces court proceedings, and prepares it before presenting it to the court in preparation for its decision. In addition to the possibility of offering reconciliation to litigants in a way that will lead to consolidating restorative justice and easing the burden on judges, stressing that the department ensures that the case proceeds in a systematic and healthy manner to expedite litigation procedures in order to achieve prompt justice.
Regarding the cases handled by the Investment and Trade Court since its establishment last year, he said that the court had received 14,412 applications between May 10, 2022 and April 30, 2023, of which 8,364 turned into cases. and 5,353 saw a verdict. There were also 449 registered urgent requests, all of which turned into lawsuits, of which 230 resulted in verdicts. As for the appeal, he said that the court had received 1,211 requests for registration of trial in 621 of them, and the cassation registered 34 requests for judgment in 9 of them. He also said that the urgent business circuits of the Investment and Commercial Court issued 361 final judgments which took 67 days on average, while the average for the appellate circuits was 73 days, 97 for the primary circuits. for individuals and 107 for primary circuits for entities. .
He added that the Law on Courts defined the jurisdiction of the court, and among these jurisdictions are disputes related to commercial contracts and lawsuits between traders related to their business, as well as disputes related to the investment of non-Qatari capital. in economic activity. in the country, and related to the operations of banks, insurance companies, finance and investment companies, bankruptcies and the reconciliation of bankruptcies. He added that the court also settles disputes related to patents, the protection of competition, the prevention of monopolistic practices, the fight against practices harmful to national products in international trade, disputes related to electronic commerce and to its transactions, and disputes related to partnership contracts between the government and private sectors.
He said the tribunal has become a haven for investors and litigants since its inception last year by providing a proper legal environment for investment and trade, thanks to its judges’ commitment to transparency and of integrity. He added that the tribunal aims to prepare a legal environment that encourages investment and sustainable economic growth. His Excellency noted that it was an exciting year filled with challenges that the court managed to overcome. He also thanked all the members of the Court for their achievements and honest efforts in strengthening legal justice in the State of Qatar, which had a positive impact in strengthening investor confidence in the State.
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“The court helps accelerate the pace of commercial dispute resolution”
