Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) · ADGM Court of First Instance
ADGM Court of First Instance — United Arab Emirates
Format requirements for this court
| Court and track | ADGM Court of First Instance |
|---|---|
| Paper | A4 |
| Margins | 2.5 cm · 2.5 cm · 2.5 cm · 2.5 cm |
| Type | Times New Roman, 12 pt |
| Line spacing | 1.5 |
| Paragraph numbering | {n}. |
Twelve point type, black on white, single-sided, with no handwritten corrections in the body of the document.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
ADGM Court of First Instance
A claim is commenced in English by a claim form, verified by a statement of truth and accompanied by particulars that set out the parties, the dated facts, the documents relied on and the relief sought. The document is prepared on A4 paper with 2.5 cm margins, 12 point type and numbered paragraphs, and is filed with the ADGM Courts Registry with a copy for each defendant and the court fee.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- ADGM Court Procedure Rules 2016 (as amended), Parts on commencing proceedings, on the language of proceedings and on the Small Claims Division
- ADGM Courts forms and guidance notes: claim form, particulars of claim, statement of truth and the index of attachments
- ADGM Courts guidance for parties proceeding without a legal representative, and the ADGM Courts Registry
ADGM Court of First Instance - Small Claims Division
The Small Claims Division procedure is designed to be used without a legal representative. The party files a short claim form in English, states the amount claimed, attaches the documents relied on and signs the statement of truth. Paragraphs are numbered, the attachment index numbers each document, and the hearing is conducted informally.
USD 100,000 — The Small Claims Division hears claims up to USD 100,000. The ceiling is set by the ADGM Court Procedure Rules and is confirmed by the Registry when the claim is registered; a claim above it is heard by the Court of First Instance under the ordinary procedure.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- ADGM Court Procedure Rules 2016 (as amended), Parts on commencing proceedings, on the language of proceedings and on the Small Claims Division
- ADGM Courts guidance for parties proceeding without a legal representative, and the ADGM Courts Registry
- ADGM Courts forms and guidance notes: claim form, particulars of claim, statement of truth and the index of attachments
Filing checklist - what to bring, in how many copies, and why documents get returned.
- The claim form, completed in English with the court and the parties, and verified by a statement of truth.
ADGM Courts claim form (ADGM Court Procedure Rules 2016, as amended)
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- Particulars setting out the parties, the dated facts in numbered paragraphs, the documents relied on and the relief sought.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- A statement of truth signed and dated by hand by the party or its authorised representative; the signature space is left blank in the prepared document.
Statement of truth (ADGM Court Procedure Rules 2016)
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- Every document in English, and a translation with the translator's certificate for any document written in another language.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- A4 paper, 2.5 cm margins on all four sides, 12 point type and numbered paragraphs starting at 1.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- One copy of the claim form and particulars for each defendant plus one copy for the court file.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The documents relied on, numbered continuously from 1 and listed in the index of attachments.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The court fee for the value of the claim, paid when the claim is submitted to the Registry.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- In the Small Claims Division, the short claim form, with the amount claimed stated and the documents attached; the procedure is designed to be used by the party without a lawyer and this tool does not replace a lawyer.
Small Claims Division claim form (ADGM Court Procedure Rules 2016)
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- Submission of the claim through the ADGM Courts electronic filing service, with the claim number it returns entered in the heading afterwards.
ADGM Courts electronic filing service
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Why filings get sent back
- Documents are filed in a language other than English without a translation, although the procedural language of the ADGM Courts is English, and the Registry returns them.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The claim form or the particulars are not verified by a statement of truth signed by the party or its authorised representative, so the document is not accepted for filing.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The amount claimed is above USD 100,000, so the claim does not fall within the Small Claims Division and proceeds under the ordinary procedure.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The claim form or the statement of truth is unsigned, or the signature line is left blank.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The claim form is filed without particulars setting out the parties, the facts and the relief sought.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- Attachments are not numbered continuously or the index of attachments does not match the pages filed.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- The court fee is not paid when the claim is submitted, so the claim is not issued until the fee is settled.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
The language you read here and the language of the documents are set separately.
Document language: English. This is set by the court, not by the language you are reading now.
- English (Required)
The procedural language of the ADGM Courts is English, so the claim form, the particulars and the statement of truth are produced in English. A document written in another language is filed with a translation, and the translation carries the translator's certificate.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Disclosure: what this document set is and what it does not cover
This set was assembled by a document preparation tool that organises the facts you supplied and aligns the page format to the filing requirements published for the court named on the cover. It is a format-and-fact organisation aid. It does not give legal advice, it does not create an advisory relationship, it does not replace a licensed lawyer, and no lawyer has reviewed your documents. No opinion is offered on the strength of any position or on which rule applies to your facts. You remain responsible for the contents of everything you file, for meeting every deadline set by the ADGM Court Procedure Rules and by any order of the Court, and for taking advice from a licensed lawyer about your situation. Every format rule in this set is listed with its source so that you can check it yourself.
I have read this disclosure and I understand that this set is a format-and-fact organisation aid, that it is not legal advice, that no lawyer has reviewed my documents, and that the documents are filed in English because English is the procedural language of the ADGM Courts.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Confirm you understand: citations are not verified
The system does not check whether a citation is real. You are responsible for checking each one in the official database: ADGM Court Procedure Rules 2016 and the ADGM Courts judgments database, with the ADGM legislative framework (adgm.com).
Check each citation yourself in the ADGM Court Procedure Rules and in the ADGM Courts judgments database: confirm that the instrument exists, that the provision you cite is in force in the version you rely on, and that no later amendment or decision has changed it.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
Every format rule is listed with its source so you can check it yourself.
- ADGM Court Procedure Rules 2016 (as amended), Parts on commencing proceedings, on the language of proceedings and on the Small Claims Division
- ADGM Courts forms and guidance notes: claim form, particulars of claim, statement of truth and the index of attachments
- ADGM Courts guidance for parties proceeding without a legal representative, and the ADGM Courts Registry
- ADGM Courts fee schedule for claims and applications
- ADGM legislative framework: ADGM Courts, Civil Evidence, Judgments, Enforcement and Judicial Appointments Regulations 2015, as amended