In his capacity as Chairman of the Judicial Department – Abu Dhabi, Mansour bin Zayed issues a decision to form committees for resolving family business disputes in the emirate.

ABU DHABI, 26 March / WAM / His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Presidential Court, in his capacity as Head of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, issued Resolution No. 3 of 2026 regarding the formation of family business dispute resolution committees in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, within the framework of strengthening the legislative and judicial structure that supports the stability of family businesses and ensuring the sustainability of their economic contribution.

The committee is competent to consider disputes arising from the articles of incorporation, management or ownership of the family company whose headquarters are located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, whether between the partners themselves, between them and family members, or between them and the family company or others. It is responsible for adjudicating grievances against the decisions issued by the family council to settle disputes stipulated in Article 19 of Federal Decree Law No. 37 of 2022 regarding family companies. The grievance against the council’s decisions shall be made within 30 days from the date of issuance of the decision or Announce it to the concerned parties, otherwise the grievance shall be considered as if it did not exist.

The decision granted the committee broad powers to take the necessary preventive and urgent measures to maintain the company’s continuity, prevent the cessation of its business or affect its reputation or financial position throughout the period of consideration of the dispute, and granted it the authority to seek technical expertise from the list of experts from the Judicial Department or from outside it or from government employees, in accordance with established procedures, or to seek the assistance of members from government agencies or companies for technical support in specific cases, according to the type of dispute or the company’s main activity.

With regard to the procedures for amicable settlement of disputes, the decision stipulates that the dispute be referred to the Dispute Settlement Center in the event that there is no family settlement council or if the parties agree not to refer it to it. If the council or the center does not succeed in resolving the dispute, the committee shall exercise its powers and decide on the requests and grievances submitted to it expeditiously with a reasoned decision, which is equivalent to a ruling issued by a court of first instance, subject to appeal, in accordance with the Civil Procedure Code.

The decision stressed the principle of confidentiality of information and non-disclosure, while imposing disciplinary and penal liability on anyone who discloses or causes the disclosure of any information related to the disputes presented to the committee or the names of the disputants or the company subject to the dispute.

The committee will be formed under the chairmanship of a judge, assisted by two people with experience and expertise in the legal and financial fields and family business management, in addition to a secretary, who will be appointed by a decision from the Undersecretary of the Judicial Department, provided that the head of the committee will be named based on the nomination of the Judicial Council.

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