Overview
The Qatar International Court is a world-class civil and commercial court. It applies international best practices in dispute resolution and brings together renowned and experienced judges from around the world. The state-of-the-art courtroom features highly sophisticated technologies. The courtroom utilises virtual technology to facilitate access to justice without the need for litigants to physically appear before the Court at hearings and trials. The Court is serviced by a Registry team, headed by the Registrar, which oversees case management. The Registrar and his team of expert case managers and support staff are available to assist Court-users, who have queries when it comes to commencing a case, or those who are seeking assistance on the practices and procedures to be adopted before the Court.
The jurisdiction of the First Instance Circuit of the Court is to be found primarily in Article 8(3)(c) of the QFC Law (as amended) which provides that the Court has jurisdiction to hear the following types of cases:
- c/1- Civil and commercial disputes arising from transactions, contracts, arrangements or incidences taking place in or from the QFC between the entities established therein.
- c/2- Civil and commercial disputes arising between The QFC authorities or institutions and the entities established therein.
- c/3- Civil and commercial disputes arising between entities established in The QFC and contractors therewith and employees thereof, unless the parties agree otherwise.
- c/4- Civil and commercial disputes arising from transactions, contracts or arrangements taking place between entities established within The QFC and residents of The State, or entities established in the State but outside The QFC, unless the parties agree otherwise.
- c/5 Civil and commercial disputes related to other entities, which are assigned to it by a law.
In addition to the above, Article 44 of Law No 15 of 2021 (amending Law No 34 of 2005 relating to the Qatar Free Zones) gives the Court jurisdiction to determine disputes relating to the Qatar Free Zones in a fashion similar to the provisions of the QFC Law set out above.
Insofar as the Court’s jurisdiction over arbitration is concerned, Law No 2 of 2017 issuing the Arbitration Law in Civil and Commercial Matters provides parties with an option to agree on the “Competent Court” of the arbitration, which is defined in Article 1 as,
“The Civil and Commercial Arbitral Disputes Circuit in the Court of Appeals, or the First Instance Circuit of the Civil and Commercial Court of the Qatar Financial Centre pursuant to the agreement of the Parties.”
Accordingly, if parties wish to elect the Court as the Competent Court of an arbitration seated in Qatar, they must agree to do so.
