Message from the President
Although 2021 was another year which was blighted by Covid-19, the work of the Court and Regulatory Tribunal continued uninterrupted. In fact, despite an increased workload, cases were dealt with more efficiently than.
The Court and Regulatory Tribunal were leaders worldwide in ensuring that all hearings took place online using our specialist eCourt system which allowed parties, witnesses, lawyers and judges to assemble virtually to ensure that justice was delivered fairly and without delay.
One of the significant milestones of 2021 was the expansion of the Court and Regulatory Tribunal’s jurisdiction to hear disputes arising out of the Qatar Free Zones. This was achieved through amendments to the QFC Law and the Qatar Free Zones Law and the Court has already received its first series of cases arising under these new laws.
In addition to the variety of judgments issued by the Court and Regulatory Tribunal throughout 2021 (43 in total), three new Practice Directions were issued governing permission to appeal applications, electronic filing and service, and awards of post-judgment interest by the Court. It is hoped that the Practice Directions will help bring clarity to these three important areas moving forward.
