The region’s first secular, bilingual family court in Abu Dhabi caught the eye of the international press recently. Since its establishment four years ago, the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court has seen settlement claims worth as much as AED 1 bn, as it gains popularity among the emirate’s expatriate population, the Financial Times reports. Since inception, the court has registered 43k marriages and received 10k new applications in 1H 2025

The draw: The court allows non-muslims and muslim expatriates from non-muslim countries to marry and divorce under a non-religious framework. It operates fully online, with both Arabic and English documentation, can wrap up divorce proceedings in as little as nine days, and offers no-fault divorces and joint custody by default. It’s also closed to the media, making it more attractive to high-profile expats.

The rationale? The bilingual court is yet another card in the emirate’s hand as it looks to cater to its growing expat population and keep attracting high-net-worth individuals from around the globe, promising an option for secular, easy, and fast settlements as an alternative to courts based on shariah law principles.

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